Antifungal Penicillium Strains, Fungicidal Extrolites Thereof, and Their Use

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to fungal strains, which are a member of the genus  Penicillium  and have antifungal activity, and to cell-free extracts of said strains, culture media obtainable by culturing said strains and extrolites produced by said strains, all of which have fungicidal activity. The present invention further relates to compositions comprising said strains, extracts, culture media and extrolites, and their uses in the agrochemical field and the field of controlling phytopathogenic fungi in particular.

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/035,638, filed May 10, 2016, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated herein by reference. U.S. application Ser. No.15/035,638 is a National Stage application of International ApplicationNo. PCT/EP2014/074165, filed Nov. 10, 2014, the entire contents of whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference. U.S. application Ser. No.15/035,638 also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to EuropeanApplication No. 13192333.6, filed Nov. 11, 2013, the entire contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to fungal strains, which are a member ofthe genus Penicillium and have antifungal activity, and to cell-freeextracts of said strains, culture media obtainable by culturing saidstrains and extrolites produced by said strains, all of which havefungicidal activity. The present invention further relates tocompositions comprising said strains, extracts, culture media andextrolites, and their uses in the agrochemical field and the field ofcontrolling phytopathogenic fungi in particular.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nature still represents the richest source of bioactive compounds whichcan be attractive for medicine as well as crop science. In both areas,the omnipresent development of resistances creates the need for newactive principles which can only partly be covered by chemicalsynthesis.

The genus Penicillium comprises more than 300 species which produce avariety of bioactive compounds. Well-known drug leads from this genusare penicillin antibiotics produced by P. chrysogenum and the antifungalmetabolite griseofulvin produced by P. griseofulvum and P. patulum, andseveral other secondary metabolites have been described from Penicilliumspecies.

For instance, P. citrinum is known for the production of the mycotoxinmetabolite citrinin and EP 0 052 366 describes hypocholesterolemicfermentation products of Penicillium citrinum strain ATCC 20606.Penicillium sp. FO-2295, a water isolate, was found to produce a seriesof anticoccidial compounds, designated as arohynapenes A and B [Masuma,et al., Antibiot. 1994, 47, 46-53] as well as arohynapene D [Tabata, etal., J. Antibiot., 1995, 48, 83-84], but these compounds were reportedto show no antimicrobial activity in vitro at a concentration of 1 mg/mlagainst a number of bacteria and fungi. Further, Penicillium sp.FO-1611, a soil isolate, was found to produce a series of anticoccidialcompounds, designated as hynapenes A, B and C [Tabata, et al., J.Antibiot., 1993, 46, 1849-1853]. These hynapenes were also reported toshow antimicrobial activity in vitro at a concentration of 1 mg/mlagainst a number of bacteria and fungi, including Pyricularia oryzae,the anamorph of Magnaporthe oryzae.

Tanzawaic acids A, B, C and D have been isolated from Penicilliumcitrinium obtained from the Tanzawa area of Japan, and tanzawaic acids Aand B were found to inhibit superoxide anion production in humanneutrophils [Kuramoto, et al., Chem. Lett. 1997, 26, 885-886.]. None oftanzawaic acids A, B, C and D was found to show antimicrotubule activity[Kobayashi, et al., Tetrahedron 59 (2003) 455-459]. Tanzawaic acids Eand F have been isolated from a Penicillium steckii isolate obtainedfrom an unidentified tunicate [Malmstrom, et al., C. Phytochemistry2000, 54, 301-309]. Tanzawaic acids G and H have been isolated from aPenicillium citrinium isolate obtained from the inner stem tissues ofthe Moroccan plant Ceratonia siqua L. [EI-Neketi et al., Journal ofnatural products, 76(6), 1099-1104. doi:10.1021/np4001366]. However,neither tanzawaic acids G nor H were found to be active against a numberof bacteria at a concentration of 64 g/mL. A further Penicillium steckiistrain was obtained from saline environment of mangrove plant Avicenniamarina and evaluated for antifungal activity in potato dextrose agaragainst dieback pathogen of rose [Sabat and Gupta, African Journal ofMicrobiology Research Vol. 4 (3), pp. 126-135, 4 Feb., 2010].

Although it is well known in the technical field of controllingphytopathogenic fungi to apply biopesticides, such as bacteria or fungiwhich are not detrimental to the plant or crop to be treated, there is aneed for further bio-pesticides.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Said need is met by the provision of a novel fungal strain of the genusPenicillium isolated from a soil sample. This fungus was shown to beeffective in controlling harmful fungi such as Alternaria solani,Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora infestans on tomatoes, and culturemedium of this fungus showed inhibitory activity against the conidialgermination of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, the majorfungal threat to cultivated rice. Bioactivity guided fractionation oforganic extracts led to the isolation of novel tanzawaic acids, thestructures of which were elucidated by 2D-NMR spectroscopy as well asmass spectrometry.

The present invention thus relates to Penicillium strains, which areselected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a. strain IBWF104-06 as deposited with DSMZ under the deposit        number DSM 27859; and    -   b. strains having at least one identifying characteristic of        said strain IBWF104-06.

The present invention further relates to cell-free extracts of thestrains of the invention and to culture media obtainable by culturingthe strains of the invention in a culture medium and separating themedium from the culture broth.

The present invention further relates to the tanzawaic acids of formula(1), (2), (3) and (4):

and the agriculturally acceptable salts thereof, and to methods ofpreparing the tanzawaic acids of the invention which method comprisesculturing the strains of the invention and isolating said tanzawaicacids from the culture broth.

The present invention further relates to compositions comprising thestrains, cell-free extracts, culture media, and tanzawaic acids andsalts of the invention, respectively, as well as to their use forcontrolling or suppressing plant pathogens or preventing plant pathogeninfection, and to corresponding methods which comprise treating thepathogens, their habitat or the materials or plants to be protectedagainst pathogen attack, or the soil or propagation material with aneffective amount of the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media,tanzawaic acids and salts, and compositions of the invention,respectively.

Further embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the claims andFIGURES and in the following detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the ITS sequence of Penicillium steckii strain IBWF104-06(SEQ ID NO:1).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to strain IBWF104-06. This strain was depositedunder the Budapest treaty with DSMZ on Oct. 9, 2013 and has beenassigned deposit number DSM 27859.

Strain IBWF104-06 was determined to belong to the genus Penicilliumbased on morphological observations which are consistent with strainIBWF104-06 being a Penicillium steckii strain (see Houbraken, et al.,Fungal Diversity (2010) 44: 117-133). This is confirmed by its ITSsequence which has a high degree of identity with other Penicilliumsteckii strains, such as Penicillium steckii strain CBS 122389,Penicillium steckii strain CBS 122388 and Penicillium steckii strain CBS122390. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) refers to a piece ofnon-functional RNA situated between structural ribosomal RNAs (rRNA) ona common precursor transcript and sequence comparison of the ITS regionis widely used in taxonomy and molecular phylogeny for elucidatingrelationships among congeneric species and closely related genera.

Strain IBWF104-06 was further determined to have potent antifungalactivity. In particular, it was found to be effective against infestionwith plant pathogens including Phytophthora infestans, Botrytis cinereaand Alternaria solani.

Strain IBWF104-06 was further determined to produce certain extrolites.

The term “extrolite” refers to secondary metabolites produced by amicroorganism (such as fungi and bacteria, in particular the strains ofthe invention) that has pesticidal activity or improves plant growth,water use efficiency of the plant, plant health, plant appearance, orthe population of beneficial microorganisms in the soil around the plantactivity.

Extrolites produced by strain IBWF104-06 include the following tanzawaicacids of formula (1), (2), (3), and (4):

Extrolites produced by strain IBWF104-06 further include arohynapene A,arohynapene B, tanzawaic acid A, and tanzawaic acid E.

In addition to strain IBWF104-06, the invention relates to anyPenicillium strain, whether physically derived from the original depositof strain IBWF104-06 or independently isolated, so long as they retainat least one of the identifying characteristics of the depositedPenicillium strain IBWF104-06. Such Penicillium strains of the inventioninclude any progeny of strain IBWF104-06, including mutants of saidstrain.

Mutant strains of Penicillium strain IBWF104-06 may be obtained bymethods well-known in the art. For example, such mutants are abtainableby applying a mutagenic chemical agent, such asN-methyl-nitrosoguanidine, X-ray or UV radiation. Subsequent to saidtreatment a screening for mutant strains showing the desiredcharacteristics may be performed. Thus, the term mutant is meant todesignate a Penicillium strain obtained by direct mutant selection butalso includes Penicillium strains that have been further mutagenized orotherwise manipulated (e.g., via the introduction of a plasmid).Accordingly, embodiments include both naturally occurring andartificially induced mutants.

In particular, the Penicillium strains of the invention arecharacterized in that they are capable of retaining at least one of theidentifying characteristics, when cultivated between about 20 and about27° C. in:

-   -   YMG medium (4 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l malt extract, 10 g/l        glucose, pH 5.5) and/or    -   YM medium (4 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l malt extract, 4 g/l        glucose, pH 5.5) and/or    -   DM medium (40 g/l malt extract, pH 5.5) and/or    -   PDA medium (24 g/l Difco Potato Dextrose Broth).

The Penicillium strains of the invention are preferably capable ofretaining at least one of the identifying characteristics, whencultivated between about 20 and about 27° C. in all of the said media.

The strains of the invention are in particular Penicillium steckiistrains.

According to one aspect, a Penicillium steckii strain of the inventionis one whose ITS sequence has at least 95%, preferably at least 98% andin particular at least 99% nucleotide sequence identity with the ITSsequence of strain IBWF104-06, i.e. SEQ ID NO:1.

According to a further aspect, a Penicillium steckii strain of theinvention is one having the following morphological characteristics:

-   -   No growth on CYA at 37° C., reverse colours on CYA in shades of        crème (crème, pale crème, yellow-crème or brown crème), and        broadly ellipsoidal conidia,

optionally in combination with one or more (in particular all) of thefollowing morphological characteristics:

-   -   Colony diameter, 7 days, in mm: CYA 24-32; MEA 21-30; YES 29-40;    -   Moderate or good sporulation on CYA with grey green conidia,        soluble pigments absent, reverse in shades of crème;    -   Moderate to good sporulation on YES, grey or dull green conidia,        reverse light yellow, soluble pigment absent;    -   Colonies on MEA grey green or dull green;    -   No reaction with Ehrlich test;    -   Conidiophores from surface hyphae, symmetrically biverticillate;    -   Metulae 13-18×2.1-3.3 μm;    -   Phialides ampulliform, 7-10×2.0-3.0 μm;    -   Conidia smooth walled, broadly ellipsoidal, 2.0-3.1×2.0-2.6 μm.

“Identity” between two nucleotide sequences means identity of theresidues over the complete length of the aligned sequences, such as, forexample, the identity calculated (for rather similar sequences) with theaid of the program BioEdit Version 7.2.2 (Hall, T. A. 1999. BioEdit: auser-friendly biological sequence alignment editor and analysis programfor Windows 95/98/NT. Nucl. Acids. Symp. Ser. 41:95-98.) using defaultparameters for “pairwise alignment (optimal GLOBAL alignment)”.

An identifying characteristic of the deposited Penicillium strainIBWF104-06 is that it is capapble of producing at least one of thefollowing tanzawaic acids:

or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.

Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, Penicillium strains ofthe invention are capable of producing one or more of said tanzawaicacids, preferably at least tanzawaic acid of formula (3) or tanzawaicacid of formula (4), more preferably at least both of tanzawaic acid offormula (3) and tanzawaic acid of formula (4), and particularly all fourtanzawaic acids, or the respective salts thereof.

In particular, the Penicillium strains of the invention arecharacterized in that they are capable of producing the said tanzawaicacid(s) when cultivated between about 20 and about 27° C. in:

-   -   YMG medium (4 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l malt extract, 10 g/l        glucose, pH 5.5) and/or    -   YM medium (4 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l malt extract, 4 g/l        glucose, pH 5.5) and/or    -   DM medium (40 g/l malt extract, pH 5.5) and/or    -   PDA medium (24 g/l Difco Potato Dextrose Broth).

The Penicillium strains of the invention are preferably capable ofproducing the said tanzawaic acid(s) between about 20 and about 27° C.in all of the said media.

A further identifying characteristic of the deposited Penicillium strainIBWF104-06 is that is capable of producing at least one compoundselected from the group consisting of arohynapene A, arohynapene B,tanzawaic acid A and tanzawaic acid E in addition to its capability ofproducing one or more of the tanzawaic acids of formula (1), (2), (3)and (4).

Thus, according to a further aspect of the invention, Penicilliumstrains of the invention are capable of producing one or more of thetanzawaic acids of formula (1), (2), (3) and (4), or the respectivesalts thereof as disclosed herein, and of producing at least onecompound selected from the group consisting of arohynapene A,arohynapene B, tanzawaic acid A and tanzawaic acid E.

A further identifying characteristic of the deposited Penicillium strainIBWF104-06 is its antifungal activity. In particular, it was found to beeffective against infestion with plant pathogens including Phytophthorainfestans, Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria solani. It is furthereffective against infestion with Fusarium graminearum.

Thus, according to a further aspect of the invention, Penicilliumstrains of the invention have antifungal activity, particularly againsta plant pathogen selected from the group consisting of Phytophthorainfestans, Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria solani. More particularly,Penicillium strains of the invention have antifungal activity against atleast two or against all of said pathogens. The Penicilium strains ofthe invention may alternatively or additionally have antifungal activityagainst Fusarium graminearum.

Antifungal activity of the Penicillium strains against plant pathogenscan be determined in an in-vitro confrontation assay using the desiredplant pathogen, in particular a phytopathogenic fungus such asPhytophthora infestans, Botrytis cinerea or Alternaria solani asfollows:

The plant pathogen, in particular the phytopathogenic fungus, is grwonon ISP2 medium comprising per litre: 10 g malt extract (Sigma Aldrich,70167); 4 g Bacto yeast extract (Becton Dickinson, 212750); 4 g glucosemonohydrate (Sigma Aldrich, 16301); 20 g Agar (Becton Dickinson,214510), pH about 7, Aq. bidest. Alternatively, V8 medium is usedcomprising per litre: 200 mL of vegetable juice, 3 g calcium carbonate(Merck Millipore, 1020660250); 30 g Agar (Becton Dickinson, 214510), pH6.8, Aq. bidest. ISP2 medium is particularly useful if thephytopathogenic fungus is Botrytis cinerea or Alternaria solani. V8medium is particularly useful if the phytopathogenic fungus isPhytophthora infestans.

The Penicillium strains are point-inoculated on one side of an agarplate. An agar block (approx. 0.3 cm²) containing one actively growingfungal plant pathogen is put in the center of the plate. Afterincubating for 7-14 days at about 25° C., the growth of the plantpathogen is examined, especially for inhibition zones. According to theinvention, a Penicillium strain has antifungal activity if there is oneor more of the following: (i) antibiosis (determined by evaluating thediameter of the pathogen-free zone (zone of inhibition)); (ii)competition (determined by comparing the diameter of the growth of thefungal pathogen on plates with the strain in comparison to controlplates) and/or (iii) mycoparasitism (dertermined by the microscopicalobservation that the strain overgrows the fungal pathogen andmycoparasites the pathogen).

More specifically, the present invention relates to the deposited strainIBWF104-06 and any Penicillium strain having one or more of theidentifying characteristics of the deposited strain, wherein theidentifying characteristics are selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   (a) an antifungal activity against a plant pathogen selected        from the group consisting of Phytophthora infestans, Botrytis        cinerea and Alternaria solani, as disclosed herein;    -   (b) the capability of producing at least one compound selected        from the group consisting of tanzawaic acid of formula (1),        (2), (3) and (4), or the respective salts thereof, as disclosed        herein; and    -   (c) the capability of producing at least one compound selected        from the group consisting of arohynapene A, arohynapene B,        tanzawaic acid A and tanzawaic acid E, as disclosed herein.

In particular, Penicillium strains of the invention have two or more ofthe identifying characteristics of the deposited strain, with strainshaving at least the characteristics (a) and (b) being particularlypreferred. For instance, according to a preferred embodiment, thestrains of the invention (a) have an antifungal activity against a plantpathogen selected from the group consisting of Phytophthora infestans,Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria solani and (b) are capable of producingat least tanzawaic acid of formula (3) or tanzawaic acid of formula (4),more preferably at least both of tanzawaic acid of formula (3) andtanzawaic acid of formula (4), and particularly all of tanzawaic acidsof formula (1), (2), (3) and (4). According to a further preferredembodiment, the strains of the invention (a) have an antifungal activityagainst two or against all of the plant pathogens selected from thegroup consisting of Phytophthora infestans, Botrytis cinerea andAlternaria solani and (b) are capable of producing at least one compoundselected from the group consisting of tanzawaic acid of formula (1),(2), (3) and (4), or the respective salts thereof. In another instance,the strains of the invention show antifungal activity against Fusariumgraminearum in addition to the said identifying characteristics.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the strains of theinvention are provided in isolated or substantially purified form.

The terms “isolated” or “substantially purified” are meant to denotethat the strains of the invention have been removed from a naturalenvironment and have been isolated or separated, and are at least 60%free, preferably at least 75% free, and more preferably at least 90%free, even more preferably at least 95% free, and most preferably atleast 100% free from other components with which they were naturallyassociated. An isolate obtained by culturing a single microbial colonyis an example of an isolated strain of the invention.

The strains of the invention may be provided in any physiological statesuch as active or dormant. Dormant strains may be provided for examplefrozen, dried, or lyophilized or partly desiccated (procedures toproduce partly desiccated organisms are given in WO 2008/002371) or inform of spores.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the strains of theinvention are provided in the form of spores, e.g. in the form ofcondiospores.

Conidiospores (also called conidia) are asexual spores that aregenerated through mitosis.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the strains of theinvention are provided as a whole broth culture comprising a strain ofthe invention. “Whole broth culture” refers to a liquid culturecontaining both cells and media. A whole broth culture may comprise thestrains in a growth medium without any additional additives or materialsor in combination with suitable nutrient mixtures.

The culture is preferably an isolated or substantially purified culture.

An “isolated culture” or “substantially purified culture” refers to aculture of the strains of the invention that does not includesignificant amounts of other materials which normally are found innatural habitat in which the strain grows and/or from which the strainnormally may be obtained. Such an “isolated culture” or “substantiallypurified culture” does normally not include any other microorganism inquantities sufficient to interfere with the replication of the strain ofthe invention. Isolated cultures of the invention may, however, becombined to prepare a mixed culture of the strains of the invention anda further microbial biopesticide.

The strains of the invention can be cultivated continuously ordiscontinuously in the batch process or in the fed batch or repeated fedbatch process. A review of known methods of cultivation will be found inthe textbook by Chmiel (Bioprozesstechnik 1. Einführung in dieBioverfahrenstechnik (Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1991)) or in thetextbook by Storhas (Bioreaktoren and periphere Einrichtungen (ViewegVerlag, Braunschweig/Wiesbaden, 1994)). The culture medium that is to beused must satisfy the requirements of the particular strains in anappropriate manner. Descriptions of culture media for variousmicroorganisms are given in the handbook “Manual of Methods for GeneralBacteriology” of the American Society for Bacteriology (Washington D.C.,USA, 1981). These culture media that can be used according to theinvention generally comprise one or more sources of carbon, sources ofnitrogen, inorganic salts, vitamins and/or trace elements. Preferredsources of carbon are sugars, such as mono-, di- or polysaccharides.Very good sources of carbon are for example glucose, fructose, mannose,galactose, ribose, sorbose, ribulose, lactose, maltose, sucrose,raffinose, starch or cellulose. Sugars can also be added to the mediavia complex compounds, such as molasses, or other by-products from sugarrefining. It may also be advantageous to add mixtures of various sourcesof carbon. Other possible sources of carbon are oils and fats such assoybean oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil and coconut oil, fatty acids suchas palmitic acid, stearic acid or linoleic acid, alcohols such asglycerol, methanol or ethanol and organic acids such as acetic acid orlactic acid. Sources of nitrogen are usually organic or inorganicnitrogen compounds or materials containing these compounds. Examples ofsources of nitrogen include ammonia gas or ammonium salts, such asammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium phosphate, ammoniumcarbonate or ammonium nitrate, nitrates, urea, amino acids or complexsources of nitrogen, such as corn-steep liquor, soybean flour, soybeanprotein, yeast extract, meat extract and others. The sources of nitrogencan be used separately or as a mixture. Inorganic salt compounds thatmay be present in the media comprise the chloride, phosphate or sulfatesalts of calcium, magnesium, sodium, cobalt, molybdenum, potassium,manganese, zinc, copper and iron. Inorganic sulfur-containing compounds,for example sulfates, sulfites, dithionites, tetrathionates,thiosulfates, sulfides, but also organic sulfur compounds, such asmercaptans and thiols, can be used as sources of sulfur. Phosphoricacid, potassium dihydrogenphosphate or dipotassium hydrogenphosphate orthe corresponding sodium-containing salts can be used as sources ofphosphorus. Chelating agents can be added to the medium, in order tokeep the metal ions in solution. Especially suitable chelating agentscomprise dihydroxyphenols, such as catechol or protocatechuate, ororganic acids, such as citric acid. The culture media used may alsocontain other growth factors, such as vitamins or growth promoters,which include for example biotin, riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid,nicotinic acid, pantothenate and pyridoxine. Growth factors and saltsoften come from complex components of the media, such as yeast extract,molasses, corn-steep liquor and the like. In addition, suitableprecursors can be added to the culture medium. The precise compositionof the compounds in the medium is strongly dependent on the particularexperiment and must be decided individually for each specific case.Information on media optimization can be found in the textbook “AppliedMicrobiol. Physiology, A Practical Approach” (Publ. P. M. Rhodes, P. F.Stanbury, IRL Press (1997) p. 53-73, ISBN 0 19 963577 3). Growing mediacan also be obtained from commercial suppliers, such as Standard 1(Merck) or BHI (Brain heart infusion, DIFCO) etc. All components of themedium are sterilized, either by heating (20 min at 2.0 bar and 121° C.)or by sterile filtration. The components can be sterilized eithertogether, or if necessary separately. All the components of the mediumcan be present at the start of growing, or optionally can be addedcontinuously or by batch feed. The temperature of the culture of therespective microorganism is normally between 20° C. and 35° C.,preferably 20° C. to 30° C. and can be kept constant or can be variedduring the experiment. The pH value of the medium should be in the rangefrom 5 to 7, preferably around 5.5. The pH value for growing can becontrolled during growing by adding basic compounds such as sodiumhydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonia or ammonia water or acidcompounds such as phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid. Antifoaming agents,e.g. fatty acid polyglycol esters, can be used for controlling foaming.To maintain the stability of plasmids, suitable substances withselective action, e.g. antibiotics, can be added to the medium. Oxygenor oxygen-containing gas mixtures, e.g. the ambient air, are fed intothe culture in order to maintain aerobic conditions. The temperature ofthe culture is normally from 20° C. to 35° C. Culture is continued untila maximum of the desired product has formed. This is normally achievedwithin 11 days to 13 days.

In particular, the strains of the invention may be cultivated on 2% maltsolid media for 3-4 days at 20 to 30° C. In liquid culture, condiosporescan be produced. In large liquid cultures, aeriation may be necessary.The fungal cells (vegatitive cells and spores) can be washed andconcentrated (e.g. by centrifugation at room temperature for about 15min at 7000×g).

The invention also relates to culture medium obtainable by culturing thestrains of the invention in a culture medium and separating medium fromthe culture broth, e.g., the supernatant of a whole broth culture, i.e.,the liquid broth remaining when cells grown in broth are removed bycentrifugation, filtration, sedimentation, or other means well known inthe art.

Such culture medium contains pesticidal extrolites which are produced bythe cultured strain.

The invention also relates to cell-free extracts of the strains of theinvention.

The term “cell-free extract” refers to an extract of the vegetativecells, spores and/or the whole culture broth of a strain of theinvention, which is obtainable by cell disruption methods known in theart such as solvent-based methods (e.g. organic solvents such asalcohols sometimes in combination with suitable salts),temperature-based methods, application of shear forces, cell disruptionwith an ultrasonicator, high-frequency ultrasound, by high pressure,e.g. in a French pressure cell, by osmolysis, by the action ofdetergents, lytic enzymes, by means of homogenizers or by a combinationof several of the methods listed. The desired extract may beconcentrated by conventional concentration techniques such as drying,evaporation, centrifugation or alike. Certain washing steps usingorganic solents and/or water-based media may also be applied to thecrude extract preferably prior to use.

Such extract contains pesticidal extrolites which are produced by thecultured strain.

Fungicidal extrolites that are specific to the strains of the inventionmay be recovered from such medium or extract according to conventionalmethods in particular when the strains of the invention have beencultivated on YMG medium (yeast extract 4.0 g/L, malt extract 10 g/L,glucose 10 g/L, with the pH value being adjusted to 5.5 beforeautoclaving). The same methods can be applied to strains of theinvention that have been cultivated on HA medium, DM medium, PDA mediumor the like.

Conventional isolation or purification methodology known in the artincludes, but is not limited to, treatment with a conventional resin(e.g., anion or cation exchange resin, non-ionic adsorption resin,etc.), treatment with a conventional adsorbent (e.g., activatedcharcoal, silicic acid, silica gel, cellulose, alumina, etc.),alteration of pH, solvent extraction (e.g., with a conventional solventsuch as an alcohol, ethyl acetate, hexane and the like), distillation,dialysis, filtration, concentration, crystallization, recrystallization,pH adjustment, lyophilization and the like. For example the agent can berecovered from culture media by first removing the microorganisms. Theremaining broth is then passed through or over a cation exchange resinto remove unwanted cations and then through or over an anion exchangeresin to remove unwanted inorganic anions and organic acids.

The pesticidal extrolites from the strains of the invention are inparticular selected from the tanzawaic acids of formula (1), (2), (3)and (4), which can be extracted and isolated from cultures of thestrains of the invention. Moreover, said tanzawaic acids may besynthesized, as tanzawaic acid A is synthetically available [Arimoto, etal., Tetrahedron Letters 39 (1998) 9513-9516].

The invention also relates to the agriculturally acceptable salts,particularly base addition salts of said tanzawaic acids. Said salts canbe obtained by conventional methods well known in the art, e.g. byreacting the compounds of the invention with a suitable base to form abase addition salt, or with a suitable alcohol or amine to form an esteror amide.

Suitable cations to form the salts of the invention are in particularthe ions of the alkali metals, preferably lithium, sodium and potassium,of the alkaline earth metals, preferably calcium, magnesium and barium,and of the transition metals, preferably manganese, copper, zinc andiron, and also ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) and substituted ammonium in which one tofour of the hydrogen atoms are replaced by C₁-C₄-alkyl,C₁-C₄-hydroxyalkyl, C₁-C₄-alkoxy, C₁-C₄-alkoxy-C₁-C₄-alkyl,hydroxy-C₁-C₄-alkoxy-C₁-C₄-alkyl, phenyl or benzyl. Examples ofsubstituted ammonium ions comprise methylammonium, isopropylammonium,dimethylammonium, diisopropylammonium, trimethylammonium,tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetrabutylammonium,2-hydroxyethylammonium, 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethylammonium,bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium, benzyltrimethylammonium andbenzltriethylammonium, furthermore phosphonium ions, sulfonium ions,preferably tri(C₁-C₄-alkyl)sulfonium, and sulfoxonium ions, preferablytri(C₁-C₄-alkyl)sulfoxonium.

The invention further relates to agrochemical compositions comprising anauxiliary and at least one or more of the strains, cell-free extracts,culture media and extrolites, of the invention, respectively.

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites, andcompositions of the invention, respectively, are suitable as antifungalagents or fungicides. They are distinguished by an outstandingeffectiveness against a broad spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi,including soil-borne fungi, which derive especially from the classes ofthe Plasmodiophoromycetes, Peronosporomycetes (syn. Oomycetes),Chytridiomycetes, Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes andDeuteromycetes (syn. Fungi imperfecti). Some are systemically effectiveand they can be used in crop protection as foliar fungicides, fungicidesfor seed dressing and soil fungicides. Moreover, they are suitable forcontrolling harmful fungi, which inter alia occur in wood or roots ofplants.

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites, andcompositions of the invention, respectively, are particularly importantin the control of a multitude of phytopathogenic fungi on variouscultivated plants, such as cereals, e. g. wheat, rye, barley, triticale,oats or rice; beet, e. g. sugar beet or fodder beet; fruits, such aspomes, stone fruits or soft fruits, e. g. apples, pears, plums, peaches,almonds, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries orgooseberries; leguminous plants, such as lentils, peas, alfalfa orsoybeans; oil plants, such as rape, mustard, olives, sunflowers,coconut, cocoa beans, castor oil plants, oil palms, ground nuts orsoybeans; cucurbits, such as squashes, cucumber or melons; fiber plants,such as cotton, flax, hemp or jute; citrus fruit, such as oranges,lemons, grapefruits or mandarins; vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce,asparagus, cabbages, carrots, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, cucurbits orpaprika; lauraceous plants, such as avocados, cinnamon or camphor;energy and raw material plants, such as corn, soybean, rape, sugar caneor oil palm; corn; tobacco; nuts; coffee; tea; bananas; vines (tablegrapes and grape juice grape vines); hop; turf; sweet leaf (also calledStevia); natural rubber plants or ornamental and forestry plants, suchas flowers, shrubs, broad-leaved trees or evergreens, e. g. conifers;and on the plant propagation material, such as seeds, and the cropmaterial of these plants.

Preferably, the strains, cell-free extracts culture media, extrolites;and compositions of the invention, respectively, are used forcontrolling a multitude of fungi on field crops, such as potatoes sugarbeets, tobacco, wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, corn, cotton, soybeans,rape, legumes, sunflowers, coffee or sugar cane; fruits; vines;ornamentals; or vegetables, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, beans orsquashes.

The term “plant propagation material” is to be understood to denote allthe generative parts of the plant such as seeds and vegetative plantmaterial such as cuttings and tubers (e. g. potatoes), which can be usedfor the multiplication of the plant. This includes seeds, roots, fruits,tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, shoots, sprouts and other parts of plants,including seedlings and young plants, which are to be transplanted aftergermination or after emergence from soil. These young plants may also beprotected before transplantation by a total or partial treatment byimmersion or pouring.

Preferably, treatment of plant propagation materials with the strains,cell-free extracts culture media, extrolites; and compositions of theinvention, respectively, is used for controlling a multitude of fungi oncereals, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats; rice, corn, cotton andsoybeans.

The term “cultivated plants” is to be understood as including plantswhich have been modified by breeding, mutagenesis or genetic engineeringincluding but not limiting to agricultural biotech products on themarket or in development (cf. http://ceragmc.org/, see GM crop databasetherein). Genetically modified plants are plants, which genetic materialhas been so modified by the use of recombinant DNA techniques that undernatural circumstances cannot readily be obtained by cross breeding,mutations or natural recombination. Typically, one or more genes havebeen integrated into the genetic material of a genetically modifiedplant in order to improve certain properties of the plant. Such geneticmodifications also include but are not limited to targetedposttranslational modification of protein(s), oligo- or polypeptides e.g. by glycosylation or polymer additions such as prenylated, acetylatedor farnesylated moieties or PEG moieties.

Plants that have been modified by breeding, mutagenesis or geneticengineering, e. g. have been rendered tolerant to applications ofspecific classes of herbicides, such as auxin herbicides such as dicambaor 2,4-D; bleacher herbicides such as hydroxylphenylpyruvate dioxygenase(HPPD) inhibitors or phytoene desaturase (PDS) inhibittors; acetolactatesynthase (ALS) inhibitors such as sulfonyl ureas or imidazolinones;enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) inhibitors, such asglyphosate; glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibitors such as glufosinate;protoporphyrinogen-IX oxidase inhibitors; lipid biosynthesis inhibitorssuch as acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors; or oxynil (i. e.bromoxynil or ioxynil) herbicides as a result of conventional methods ofbreeding or genetic engineering. Furthermore, plants have been maderesistant to multiple classes of herbicides through multiple geneticmodifications, such as resistance to both glyphosate and glufosinate orto both glyphosate and a herbicide from another class such as ALSinhibitors, HPPD inhibitors, auxin herbicides, or ACCase inhibitors.These herbicide resistance technologies are e. g. described in PestManagem. Sci. 61, 2005, 246; 61, 2005, 258; 61, 2005, 277; 61, 2005,269; 61, 2005, 286; 64, 2008, 326; 64, 2008, 332; Weed Sci. 57, 2009,108; Austral. J. Agricult. Res. 58, 2007, 708; Science 316, 2007, 1185;and references quoted therein. Several cultivated plants have beenrendered tolerant to herbicides by conventional methods of breeding(mutagenesis), e. g. Clearfield® summer rape (Canola, BASF SE, Germany)being tolerant to imidazolinones, e. g. imazamox, or ExpressSun®sunflowers (DuPont, USA) being tolerant to sulfonyl ureas, e. g.tribenuron. Genetic engineering methods have been used to rendercultivated plants such as soybean, cotton, corn, beets and rape,tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate and glufosinate, some of whichare commercially available under the trade names RoundupReady®(glyphosate-tolerant, Monsanto, U.S.A.), Cultivance® (imidazolinonetolerant, BASF SE, Germany) and LibertyLink® (glufosinate-tolerant,Bayer CropScience, Germany).

Furthermore, plants are also covered that are by the use of recombinantDNA techniques capable to synthesize one or more insecticidal proteins,especially those known from the bacterial genus Bacillus, particularlyfrom Bacillus thuringiensis, such as δ-endotoxins, e. g. CryIA(b),CryIA(c), CryIF, CryIF(a2), CryIIA(b), CryIIIA, CryIIIB(b1) or Cry9c;vegetative insecticidal proteins (VIP), e. g. VIP1, VIP2, VIP3 or VIP3A;insecticidal proteins of bacteria colonizing nematodes, e. g.Photorhabdus spp. or Xenorhabdus spp.; toxins produced by animals, suchas scorpion toxins, arachnid toxins, wasp toxins, or otherinsect-specific neurotoxins; toxins produced by fungi, suchStreptomycetes toxins, plant lectins, such as pea or barley lectins;agglutinins; proteinase inhibitors, such as trypsin inhibitors, serineprotease inhibitors, patatin, cystatin or papain inhibitors;ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIP), such as ricin, maize-RIP, abrin,luffin, saporin or bryodin; steroid metabolism enzymes, such as3-hydroxysteroid oxidase, ecdysteroid-IDP-glycosyl-transferase,cholesterol oxidases, ecdysone inhibitors or HMG-CoA-reductase; ionchannel blockers, such as blockers of sodium or calcium channels;juvenile hormone esterase; diuretic hormone receptors (helicokininreceptors); stilben synthase, bibenzyl synthase, chitinases orglucanases. In the context of the present invention these insecticidalproteins or toxins are to be understood expressly also as pre-toxins,hybrid proteins, truncated or otherwise modified proteins. Hybridproteins are characterized by a new combination of protein domains,(see, e. g. WO 02/015701). Further examples of such toxins orgenetically modified plants capable of synthesizing such toxins aredisclosed, e. g., in EP-A 374 753, WO 93/007278, WO 95/34656, EP-A 427529, EP-A 451 878, WO 03/18810 and WO 03/52073. The methods forproducing such genetically modified plants are generally known to theperson skilled in the art and are described, e. g. in the publicationsmentioned above. These insecticidal proteins contained in thegenetically modified plants impart to the plants producing theseproteins tolerance to harmful pests from all taxonomic groups ofathropods, especially to beetles (Coeloptera), two-winged insects(Diptera), and moths (Lepidoptera) and to nematodes (Nematoda).Genetically modified plants capable to synthesize one or moreinsecticidal proteins are, e. g., described in the publicationsmentioned above, and some of which are commercially available such asYieldGard® (corn cultivars producing the Cry1Ab toxin), YieldGard® Plus(corn cultivars producing Cry1Ab and Cry3Bb1 toxins), Starlink® (corncultivars producing the Cry9c toxin), Her-culex® RW (corn cultivarsproducing Cry34Ab1, Cry35Ab1 and the enzymePhosphinothricin-N-Acetyltransferase [PAT]); NuCOTN® 33B (cottoncultivars producing the CryIAc toxin), Bollgard® I (cotton cultivarsproducing the CryIAc toxin), Boligard® (cotton cultivars producingCryIAc and Cry2Ab2 toxins); VIPCOT® (cotton cultivars producing aVIP-toxin); NewLeaf® (potato cultivars producing the Cry3A toxin);BtXtra®, NatureGard®, KnockOut®, BiteGard®, Protecta®, Bt11 (e. g.Agrisure® CB) and Bt176 from Syngenta Seeds SAS, France, (corn cultivarsproducing the CryIAb toxin and PAT enyzme), MIR604 from Syngenta SeedsSAS, France (corn cultivars producing a modified version of the Cry3Atoxin, c.f. WO 03/018810), MON 863 from Monsanto Europe S. A., Belgium(corn cultivars producing the Cry3Bb1 toxin), IPC 531 from MonsantoEurope S. A., Belgium (cotton cultivars producing a modified version ofthe CryIAc toxin) and 1507 from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, Belgium(corn cultivars producing the CrylF toxin and PAT enzyme).

Furthermore, plants are also covered that are by the use of recombinantDNA techniques capable to synthesize one or more proteins to increasethe resistance or tolerance of those plants to bacterial, viral orfungal pathogens. Examples of such proteins are the so-called“pathogenesis-related proteins” (PR proteins, see, e. g. EP-A 392 225),plant disease resistance genes (e. g. potato cultivars, which expressresistance genes acting against Phytophthora infestans derived from themexican wild potato Solanum bulbocastanum) or T4-lysozym (e. g. potatocultivars capable of synthesizing these proteins with increasedresistance against bacteria such as Erwinia amylvora). The methods forproducing such genetically modified plants are generally known to theperson skilled in the art and are described, e. g. in the publicationsmentioned above.

Furthermore, plants are also covered that are by the use of recombinantDNA techniques capable to synthesize one or more proteins to increasethe productivity (e. g. bio mass production, grain yield, starchcontent, oil content or protein content), tolerance to drought, salinityor other growth-limiting environmental factors or tolerance to pests andfungal, bacterial or viral pathogens of those plants.

Furthermore, plants are also covered that contain by the use ofrecombinant DNA techniques a modified amount of substances of content ornew substances of content, specifically to improve human or animalnutrition, e. g. oil crops that produce healthpromoting long-chainomega-3 fatty acids or unsaturated omega-9 fatty acids (e. g. Nexera®rape, DOW Agro Sciences, Canada).

Furthermore, plants are also covered that contain by the use ofrecombinant DNA techniques a modified amount of substances of content ornew substances of content, specifically to improve raw materialproduction, e. g. potatoes that produce increased amounts of amylopectin(e. g. Amflora® potato, BASF SE, Germany).

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites, andcompositions of the invention, respectively, are particularly suitablefor controlling the following plant diseases:

Albugo spp. (white rust) on ornamentals, vegetables (e. g. A. candida)and sunflowers (e. g. A. tragopogonis); Altemaria spp. (Alternaria leafspot) on vegetables, rape (A. brassicola or brassicae), sugar beets (A.tenuis), fruits, rice, soybeans, potatoes (e. g. A. solani or A.alternata), tomatoes (e. g. A. solani or A. alternata) and wheat;Aphanomyces spp. on sugar beets and vegetables; Ascochyta spp. oncereals and vegetables, e. g. A. tritici(anthracnose) on wheat and A.hordei on barley; Bipolaris and Drechslera spp. (teleomorph:Cochliobolus spp.), e. g. Southern leaf blight (D. maydis) or Northernleaf blight (B. zeicola) on corn, e. g. spot blotch (B. sorokiniana) oncereals and e.g. B. oryzae on rice and turfs; Blumeria (formerlyErysiphe) graminis (powdery mildew) on cereals (e. g. on wheat orbarley); Botrytis cinerea (teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana: greymold) on fruits and berries (e. g. strawberries), vegetables (e. g.lettuce, carrots, celery and cabbages), rape, flowers, vines, forestryplants and wheat; Bremia lactucae (downy mildew) on lettuce;Ceratocystis (syn. Ophiostoma) spp. (rot or wilt) on broad-leaved treesand evergreens, e. g. C. ulmi (Dutch elm disease) on elms; Cercosporaspp. (Cercospora leaf spots) on corn (e.g. Gray leaf spot: C.zeae-maydis), rice, sugar beets (e. g. C. beticola), sugar cane,vegetables, coffee, soybeans (e. g. C. sofina or C. kikuchii) and rice;Cladosporium spp. on tomatoes (e. g. C. fulvum: leaf mold) and cereals,e. g. C. herbarum (black ear) on wheat; Claviceps purpurea (ergot) oncereals; Cochliobolus (anamorph: Helminthosporium of Bipolaris) spp.(leaf spots) on corn (C. carbonum), cereals (e. g. C. sativus, anamorph:B. sorokiniana) and rice (e. g. C. miyabeanus, anamorph: H. oryzae);Colletotrichum (teleomorph: Glomerella) spp. (anthracnose) on cotton (e.g. C. gossypii), corn (e. g. C. graminicola: Anthracnose stalk rot),soft fruits, potatoes (e. g. C. coccodes: black dot), beans (e. g. C.lindemuthianum) and soybeans (e. g. C. truncatum or C. gloeosporioides);Corticium spp., e. g. C. sasakil (sheath blight) on rice; Corynesporacassilcola (leaf spots) on soybeans and ornamentals; Cycloconium spp.,e. g. C. oleaginum on olive trees; Cylindrocarpon spp. (e. g. fruit treecanker or young vine decline, teleomorph: Nectria or Neonectria spp.) onfruit trees, vines (e. g. C. triodendri, teleomorph: Neonectriatriodendri: Black Foot Disease) and ornamentals; Dematophora(teleomorph: Rosellinia) necatrix (root and stem rot) on soybeans;Diaporthe spp., e. g. D. phaseolorum (damping off) on soybeans;Drechslera (syn. Helminthosporium, teleomorph: Pyrenophora) spp. oncorn, cereals, such as barley (e. g. D. teres, net blotch) and wheat (e.g. D. tritici-repentis tan spot), rice and turf; Esca (dieback,apoplexy) on vines, caused by Formitiporia (syn. Phellinus) punctata, F.mediterranea, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (earlier Phaeoacremoniumchlamydosporum), Phaeoacremonium aleophllum and/or Botlyosphaeriaobtusa; Elsinoe spp. on pome fruits (E. pyrl), soft fruits (E. veneta:anthracnose) and vines (E. ampelina: anthracnose); Entyloma oryzae (leafsmut) on rice; Epicoccum spp. (black mold) on wheat; Erysiphe spp.(powdery mildew) on sugar beets (E. betae), vegetables (e. g. E. pisi),such as cucurbits (e. g. E. cichoracearum), cabbages, rape (e. g. E.cruciferarum); Eutypa lata (Eutypa canker or dieback, anamorph:Cytosporina lata, syn. Libertella blepharis) on fruit trees, vines andornamental woods; Exserohllum (syn. Helminthosporium) spp. on corn (e.g. E. turcicum); Fusarium (teleomorph: Gibberella) spp. (wilt, root orstem rot) on various plants, such as F. graminearum or F. culmorum (rootrot, scab or head blight) on cereals (e. g. wheat or barley), F.oxysporum on tomatoes, F. solani (f. sp. glycines now syn. F.virguliforme) and F. tucumaniae and F. brasillense each causing suddendeath syndrome on soybeans, and F. verticillioides on corn;Gaeumannomyces graminis (take-all) on cereals (e. g. wheat or barley)and corn; Gibberella spp. on cereals (e. g. G. zeae) and rice (e. g. G.fujikuroi: Bakanae disease); Glomerella cingulata on vines, pome fruitsand other plants and G. gossypii on cotton; Grainstaining complex onrice; Guignardia bidwellii (black rot) on vines; Gymnosporangium spp. onrosaceous plants and junipers, e. g. G. sabinae (rust) on pears;Helminthosporium spp. (syn. Drechslera, teleomorph: Cochllobolus) oncorn, cereals and rice; Hemileia spp., e. g. H. vastatrix (coffee leafrust) on coffee; Isariopsis clavispora (syn. Cladosporium vitis) onvines; Macrophomina phaseolina (syn. phaseoli) (root and stem rot) onsoybeans and cotton; Microdochium (syn. Fusarium) nivale (pink snowmold) on cereals (e. g. wheat or barley); Microsphaera diffusa (powderymildew) on soybeans; Monilinia spp., e. g. M. taxa, M. fructicola and M.fructigena (bloom and twig blight, brown rot) on stone fruits and otherrosaceous plants; Mycosphaerella spp. on cereals, bananas, soft fruitsand ground nuts, such as e. g. M. graminicola (anamorph: Septoriatritici, Septoria blotch) on wheat or M. fijiensis (black Sigatokadisease) on bananas; Peronospora spp. (downy mildew) on cabbage (e. g.P. brassicae), rape (e. g. P. parasitica), onions (e. g. P. destructor),tobacco (P. tabacina) and soybeans (e. g. P. manshurica); Phakopsorapachyrhizi and P. meibomiae (soybean rust) on soybeans; Phialophora spp.e. g. on vines (e. g. P. tracheiphila and P. tetraspora) and soybeans(e. g. P. gregata: stem rot); Phoma lingam (root and stem rot) on rapeand cabbage and P. betae (root rot, leaf spot and damping-off) on sugarbeets; Phomopsis spp. on sunflowers, vines (e. g. P. viticola: can andleaf spot) and soybeans (e. g. stem rot: P. phaseoli, teleomorph:Diaporthe phaseolorum); Physoderma maydis (brown spots) on corn;Phytophthora spp. (wilt, root, leaf, fruit and stem root) on variousplants, such as paprika and cucurbits (e. g. P. capsici), soybeans (e.g. P. megasperma, syn. P. sojae), potatoes and tomatoes (e. g. P.infestans: late blight) and broad-leaved trees (e. g. P. ramorum: suddenoak death); Plasmodiophora brassicae (club root) on cabbage, rape,radish and other plants; Plasmopara spp., e. g. P. viticola (grapevinedowny mildew) on vines and P. halstedii on sunflowers; Podosphaera spp.(powdery mildew) on rosaceous plants, hop, pome and soft fruits, e. g.P. leucotricha on apples; Polymyxa spp., e. g. on cereals, such asbarley and wheat (P. graminis) and sugar beets (P. betae) and therebytransmitted viral diseases; Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides(eyespot, teleomorph: Tapesia yallundae) on cereals, e. g. wheat orbarley; Pseudoperonospora (downy mildew) on various plants, e. g. P.cubensis on cucurbits or P. humili on hop; Pseudopezicula tracheiphila(red fire disease or, rotbrenner', anamorph: Phialophora) on vines;Puccinia spp. (rusts) on various plants, e. g. P. triticina (brown orleaf rust), P. striiformis (stripe or yellow rust), P. hordei (dwarfrust), P. graminis (stem or black rust) or P. recondita (brown or leafrust) on cereals, such as e. g. wheat, barley or rye, P. kuehnii (orangerust) on sugar cane and P. asparagi on asparagus; Pyrenophora (anamorph:Drechslera) tritici-repentis (tan spot) on wheat or P. teres (netblotch) on barley; Pyriculana spp., e. g. P. oryzae (teleomorph:Magnaporthe grisea, rice blast) on rice and P. grisea on turf andcereals; Pythium spp. (damping-off) on turf, rice, corn, wheat, cotton,rape, sunflowers, soybeans, sugar beets, vegetables and various otherplants (e. g. P. ultimum or P. aphanidermatum); Ramularia spp., e. g. R.collo-cygni(Ramularia leaf spots, Physiological leaf spots) on barleyand R. beticola on sugar beets; Rhizoctonia spp. on cotton, rice,potatoes, turf, corn, rape, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables andvarious other plants, e. g. R. solani (root and stem rot) on soybeans,R. solani (sheath blight) on rice or R. cerealis (Rhizoctonia springblight) on wheat or barley; Rhizopus stolonifer (black mold, soft rot)on strawberries, carrots, cabbage, vines and tomatoes; Rhynchosporiumsecalis (scald) on barley, rye and triticale; Sarocladium oryzae and S.attenuatum (sheath rot) on rice; Sclerotinia spp. (stem rot or whitemold) on vegetables and field crops, such as rape, sunflowers (e. g. S.sclerotiorum) and soybeans (e. g. S. rolfsii or S. sclerotiorum);Septoria spp. on various plants, e. g. S. glycines (brown spot) onsoybeans, S. tritici(Septoria blotch) on wheat and S. (syn.Stagonospora) nodorum (Stagonospora blotch) on cereals; Uncinula (syn.Erysiphe) necator (powdery mildew, anamorph: Oidium tuckeri) on vines;Setospaeria spp. (leaf blight) on corn (e. g. S. turcicum, syn.Helminthosporium turcicum) and turf; Sphacelotheca spp. (smut) on corn,(e. g. S. reiliana: head smut), sorghum and sugar cane; Sphaerothecafuliginea (powdery mildew) on cucurbits; Spongospora subterranea(powdery scab) on potatoes and thereby transmitted viral diseases;Stagonospora spp. on cereals, e. g. S. nodorum (Stagonospora blotch,teleomorph: Leptosphaeria [syn. Phaeosphaeria] nodorum) on wheat;Synchytrium endobioticum on potatoes (potato wart disease); Taphrinaspp., e. g. T. deformans (leaf curl disease) on peaches and T. pruni(plum pocket) on plums; Thielaviopsis spp. (black root rot) on tobacco,pome fruits, vegetables, soybeans and cotton, e. g. T. basicola (syn.Chalara elegans); Tilletia spp. (common bunt or stinking smut) oncereals, such as e. g. T. tritici (syn. T. caries, wheat bunt) and T.controversa (dwarf bunt) on wheat; Typhula incamata (grey snow mold) onbarley or wheat; Urocystis spp., e. g. U. occulta (stem smut) on rye;Uromyces spp. (rust) on vegetables, such as beans (e. g. U.appendiculatus, syn. U. phaseoli) and sugar beets (e. g. U. betae);Ustilago spp. (loose smut) on cereals (e. g. U. nuda and U. avaenae),corn (e. g. U. maydis corn smut) and sugar cane; Venturia spp. (scab) onapples (e. g. V. inaequalis) and pears; and Verticillium spp. (wilt) onvarious plants, such as fruits and ornamentals, vines, soft fruits,vegetables and field crops, e. g. V. dahliae on strawberries, rape,potatoes and tomatoes.

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites, andcompositions of the invention, respectively, are also suitable forcontrolling harmful fungi in the protection of stored products orharvest and in the protection of materials.

The term “protection of materials” is to be understood to denote theprotection of technical and non-living materials, such as adhesives,glues, wood, paper and paperboard, textiles, leather, paint dispersions,plastics, coiling lubricants, fiber or fabrics, against the infestationand destruction by harmful microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria.As to the protection of wood and other materials, the particularattention is paid to the following harmful fungi: Ascomycetes such asOphiostoma spp., Ceratocystis spp., Aureobasidium pullulans, Scierophomaspp., Chaetomium spp., Humicola spp., Petriella spp., Trichurus spp.;Basidiomycetes such as Coniophora spp., Coriolus spp., Gloeophyllumspp., Lentinus spp., Pleurotus spp., Poria spp., Serpula spp. andTyromyces spp., Deuteromycetes such as Aspergillus spp., Cladosporiumspp., Penicillium spp., Trichorma spp., Alternaria spp., Paecllomycesspp. and Zygomycetes such as Mucor spp., and in addition in theprotection of stored products and harvest the following yeast fungi areworthy of note: Candida spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisae.

The method of treatment according to the invention can also be used inthe field of protecting stored products or harvest against attack offungi and microorganisms. According to the present invention, the term“stored products” is understood to denote natural substances of plant oranimal origin and their processed forms, which have been taken from thenatural life cycle and for which long-term protection is desired. Storedproducts of crop plant origin, such as plants or parts thereof, forexample stalks, leafs, tubers, seeds, fruits or grains, can be protectedin the freshly harvested state or in processed form, such as pre-dried,moistened, comminuted, ground, pressed or roasted, which process is alsoknown as post-harvest treatment. Also falling under the definition ofstored products is timber, whether in the form of crude timber, such asconstruction timber, electricity pylons and barriers, or in the form offinished articles, such as furniture or objects made from wood. Storedproducts of animal origin are hides, leather, furs, hairs and the like.The combinations according the present invention can preventdisadvantageous effects such as decay, discoloration or mold. Preferably“stored products” is understood to denote natural substances of plantorigin and their processed forms, more preferably fruits and theirprocessed forms, such as pomes, stone fruits, soft fruits and citrusfruits and their processed forms.

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites, andcompositions of the invention, respectively, may be used for improvingthe health of a plant. The invention also relates to a method forimproving plant health by treating a plant, its propagation materialand/or the locus where the plant is growing or is to grow with aneffective amount of the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media,extrolites, and compositions.

The term “plant health” is to be understood to denote a condition of theplant and/or its products which is determined by several indicatorsalone or in combination with each other such as yield (e. g. increasedbiomass and/or increased content of valuable ingredients), plant vigor(e. g. improved plant growth and/or greener leaves (“greening effect”)),quality (e. g. improved content or composition of certain ingredients)and tolerance to abiotic and/or biotic stress. The above identifiedindicators for the health condition of a plant may be interdependent ormay result from each other.

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites, andcompositions of the invention, respectively, are employed as such or inform of compositions by treating the fungi or the plants, plantpropagation materials, such as seeds, soil, surfaces, materials or roomsto be protected from fungal attack with a fungicidally effective amountof the active substances. The application can be carried out both beforeand after the infection of the plants, plant propagation materials, suchas seeds, soil, surfaces, materials or rooms by the fungi.

The term “effective amount” denotes an amount which is sufficient forcontrolling harmful fungi on cultivated plants or in the protection ofmaterials and which does not result in a substantial damage to thetreated plants. Such an amount can vary in a broad range and isdependent on various factors, such as the fungal species to becontrolled, the treated cultivated plant or material, the climaticconditions and the tanzawaic acid or salt used.

Plant propagation materials may be treated with the strains, cell-freeextracts, culture media, extrolites, and compositions of the invention,respectively, prophylactically either at or before planting ortransplanting.

The strains of the invention can be formulated as an inoculant for aplant. The term “inoculant” means a composition that includes anisolated strain of the invention and optionally a carrier, which mayinclude a biologically acceptable medium.

Such inoculants andother suitable compositions can be prepared ascompositions comprising besides the active ingredients at least oneauxiliary (inert ingredient) by usual means (see e.g. H. D. Burges:Formulation of Micobial Biopestcides, Springer, 1998). Suitablecustomary types of such compositions are suspensions, dusts, powders,pastes, granules, pressings, capsules, and mixtures thereof. Examplesfor composition types are suspensions (e.g. SC, OD, FS), capsules (e.g.CS, ZC), pastes, pastilles, wettable powders or dusts (e.g. WP, SP, WS,DP, DS), pressings (e.g. BR, TB, DT), granules (e.g. WG, SG, GR, FG, GG,MG), insecticidal articles (e.g. LN), as well as gel formulations forthe treatment of plant propagation materials such as seeds (e.g. GF).Herein, it has to be taken into account that each formulation type orchoice of auxiliary should not influence the viability of themicroorganism during storage of thecomposition and when finally appliedto the soil, plant or plant propagation material. Suitable formulationsare e.g. mentioned in WO 2008/002371, U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,912, U.S. Pat.No. 5,422,107.

Examples for suitable auxiliaries are those mentioned herein, wherein itmust be taken care that choice and amounts of such auxiliaries shouldnot influence the viability of the microbial pesticides in thecomposition. Especially for bactericides and solvents, compatibilitywith the respective microorganism of the respective microbial pesticidehas to be taken into account. In addition, compositions with microbialpesticides may further contain stabilizers or nutrients and UVprotectants. Suitable stabilzers or nutrients are e.g. alpha-tocopherol,trehalose, glutamate, potassium sorbate, various sugars like glucose,sucrose, lactose and maltodextrine (H. D. Burges: Formulation ofMicobial Biopestcides, Springer, 1998). Suitable UV protectants are e.g.inorganic compouns like titan dioxide, zinc oxide and iron oxidepigments or organic compounds like benzophenones, benzotriazoles andphenyltriazines. The compositions optionally comprise 0.1-80%stabilizers or nutrients and 0.1-10% UV protectants, in addition toauxiliaries mentioned herein for compositions comprising cell-freeextracts, culture media and extrolites.

To produce a dry formulation, fungal cells, preferably spores can besuspended in a suitable dry carrier (e.g. clay). To produce a liquidformulation, cells, preferably spores, can be re-suspended in a suitableliquid carrier (e.g. water-based) to the desired spore density. Thespore density number of spores per mL can be determined by identifyingthe number of colony-forming units (CFU) on agar medium e.g. potatodextrose agar after incubation for several days at room temperature° C.

When the strains of the invention are employed in crop protection, theapplication rates preferably range from about 1×10⁶ to 5×10¹⁵ (or more)CFU/ha. Preferably, the spore concentration is about 1×10⁷ to about1×10¹¹ CFU/ha.

When the strains of the invention are employed in seed treatment, theapplication rates with respect to plant propagation material preferablyrange from about 1×10⁶ to 1×10¹² (or more) CFU/seed. Preferably, theconcentration is about 1×10⁶ to about 1×10¹¹ CFU/seed. Alternatively,the application rates with respect to plant propagation materialpreferably range from about 1×10⁷ to 1×10¹⁴ (or more) CFU per 100 kg ofseed, preferably from 1×10⁹ to about 1×10¹¹ CFU per 100 kg of seed.

The cell-free extracts, culture media and extrolites of the inventioncan be converted into customary types of agrochemical compositions, e.g. solutions, emulsions, suspensions, dusts, powders, pastes, granules,pressings, capsules, and mixtures thereof. Examples for compositiontypes are suspensions (e.g. SC, OD, FS), emulsifiable concentrates (e.g.EC), emulsions (e.g. EW, EO, ES, ME), capsules (e.g. CS, ZC), pastes,pastilles, wettable powders or dusts (e.g. WP, SP, WS, DP, DS),pressings (e.g. BR, TB, DT), granules (e.g. WG, SG, GR, FG, GG, MG),insecticidal articles (e.g. LN), as well as gel formulations for thetreatment of plant propagation materials such as seeds (e.g. GF). Theseand further compositions types are defined in the “Catalogue ofpesticide formulation types and international coding system”, TechnicalMonograph No. 2, 6th Ed. May 2008, CropLife International.

The compositions are prepared in a known manner, such as described byMollet and Grubemann, Formulation technology, Wiley VCH, Weinheim, 2001;or Knowles, New developments in crop protection product formulation,Agrow Reports DS243, T&F Informa, London, 2005.

Suitable auxiliaries are solvents, liquid carriers, solid carriers orfillers, surfactants, dispersants, emulsifiers, wetters, adjuvants,solubilizers, penetration enhancers, protective colloids, adhesionagents, thickeners, humectants, repellents, attractants, feedingstimulants, compatibilizers, bactericides, anti-freezing agents,anti-foaming agents, colorants, tackifiers and binders.

Suitable solvents and liquid carriers are water and organic solvents,such as mineral oil fractions of medium to high boiling point, e.g.kerosene, diesel oil; oils of vegetable or animal origin; aliphatic,cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, e. g. toluene, paraffin,tetrahydronaphthalene, alkylated naphthalenes; alcohols, e.g. ethanol,propanol, butanol, benzylalcohol, cyclohexanol; glycols; DMSO; ketones,e.g. cyclohexanone; esters, e.g. lactates, carbonates, fatty acidesters, gamma-butyrolactone; fatty acids; phosphonates; amines; amides,e.g. N-methylpyrrolidone, fatty acid dimethylamides; and mixturesthereof.

Suitable solid carriers or fillers are mineral earths, e.g. silicates,silica gels, talc, kaolins, limestone, lime, chalk, clays, dolomite,diatomaceous earth, bentonite, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate,magnesium oxide; polysaccharides, e.g. cellulose, starch; fertilizers,e.g. ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, ureas;products of vegetable origin, e.g. cereal meal, tree bark meal, woodmeal, nutshell meal, and mixtures thereof.

Suitable surfactants are surface-active compounds, such as anionic,cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants, block polymers,polyelectrolytes, and mixtures thereof. Such surfactants can be used asemusifier, dispersant, solubilizer, wetter, penetration enhancer,protective colloid, or adjuvant. Examples of surfactants are listed inMcCutcheon's, Vol. 1: Emulsifiers & Detergents, McCutcheon'sDirectories, Glen Rock, USA, 2008 (International Ed. or North AmericanEd.).

Suitable anionic surfactants are alkali, alkaline earth or ammoniumsalts of sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates, and mixturesthereof. Examples of sulfonates are alkylarylsulfonates,diphenylsulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, lignine sulfonates,sulfonates of fatty acids and oils, sulfonates of ethoxylatedalkylphenols, sulfonates of alkoxylated arylphenols, sulfonates ofcondensed naphthalenes, sulfonates of dodecyl- and tridecylbenzenes,sulfonates of naphthalenes and alkylnaphthalenes, sulfosuccinates orsulfosuccinamates. Examples of sulfates are sulfates of fatty acids andoils, of ethoxylated alkylphenols, of alcohols, of ethoxylated alcohols,or of fatty acid esters. Examples of phosphates are phosphate esters.Examples of carboxylates are alkyl carboxylates, and carboxylatedalcohol or alkylphenol ethoxylates.

Suitable nonionic surfactants are alkoxylates, N-subsituted fatty acidamides, amine oxides, esters, sugar-based surfactants, polymericsurfactants, and mixtures thereof. Examples of alkoxylates are compoundssuch as alcohols, alkylphenols, amines, amides, arylphenols, fatty acidsor fatty acid esters which have been alkoxylated with 1 to 50equivalents. Ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide may be employed forthe alkoxylation, preferably ethylene oxide. Examples of N-subsitituedfatty acid amides are fatty acid glucamides or fatty acid alkanolamides.Examples of esters are fatty acid esters, glycerol esters ormonoglycerides. Examples of sugar-based surfactants are sorbitans,ethoxylated sorbitans, sucrose and glucose esters oralkylpolyglucosides. Examples of polymeric surfactants are home- orcopolymers of vinylpyrrolidone, vinylalcohols, or vinylacetate.

Suitable cationic surfactants are quaternary surfactants, for examplequaternary ammonium compounds with one or two hydrophobic groups, orsalts of long-chain primary amines. Suitable amphoteric surfactants arealkylbetains and imidazolines. Suitable block polymers are blockpolymers of the A-B or A-B-A type comprising blocks of polyethyleneoxide and polypropylene oxide, or of the A-B-C type comprising alkanol,polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide. Suitable polyelectrolytesare polyacids or polybases. Examples of polyacids are alkali salts ofpolyacrylic acid or polyacid comb polymers. Examples of polybases arepolyvinylamines or polyethyleneamines.

Suitable adjuvants are compounds, which have a neglectable or even nopesticidal activity themselves, and which improve the biologicalperformance of cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite on thetarget. Examples are surfactants, mineral or vegetable oils, and otherauxilaries. Further examples are listed by Knowles, Adjuvants andadditives, Agrow Reports DS256, T&F Informa UK, 2006, chapter 5.

Suitable thickeners are polysaccharides (e.g. xanthan gum,carboxymethylcellulose), anorganic clays (organically modified orunmodified), polycarboxylates, and silicates.

Suitable bactericides are bronopol and isothiazolinone derivatives suchas alkylisothiazolinones and benzisothiazolinones.

Suitable anti-freezing agents are ethylene glycol, propylene glycol,urea and glycerin.

Suitable anti-foaming agents are silicones, long chain alcohols, andsalts of fatty acids.

Suitable colorants (e.g. in red, blue, or green) are pigments of lowwater solubility and water-soluble dyes. Examples are inorganiccolorants (e.g. iron oxide, titan oxide, iron hexacyanoferrate) andorganic colorants (e.g. alizarin-, azo- and phthalocyanine colorants).

Suitable tackifiers or binders are polyvinylpyrrolidons,polyvinylacetates, polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylates, biological orsynthetic waxes, and cellulose ethers.

The agrochemical compositions generally comprise between 0.01 and 95%,preferably between 0.1 and 90%, and in particular between 0.5 and 75%,by weight of active substance. The active substances are employed in apurity of from 90% to 100%, preferably from 95% to 100% (according toNMR spectrum).

Examples for composition types and their preparation are:

i) Water-soluble concentrates (SL, LS)

10-60 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention and 5-15 wt % wetting agent (e.g. alcohol alkoxylates) aredissolved in water and/or in a water-soluble solvent (e.g. alcohols) ad100 wt %. The active substance dissolves upon dilution with water.

ii) Dispersible concentrates (DC)

5-25 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention and 1-10 wt % dispersant (e. g. polyvinylpyrrolidone) aredissolved in organic solvent (e.g. cyclohexanone) ad 100 wt %. Dilutionwith water gives a dispersion.

iii) Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)

15-70 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention and 5-10 wt % emulsifiers (e.g. calciumdodecylbenzenesulfonate and castor oil ethoxylate) are dissolved inwater-insoluble organic solvent (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbon) ad 100 wt %.Dilution with water gives an emulsion.

iv) Emulsions (EW, EO, ES)

5-40 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention and 1-10 wt % emulsifiers (e.g. calciumdodecylbenzenesulfonate and castor oil ethoxylate) are dissolved in20-40 wt % water-insoluble organic solvent (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbon).This mixture is introduced into water ad 100 wt % by means of anemulsifying machine and made into a homogeneous emulsion. Dilution withwater gives an emulsion.

v) Suspensions (SC, OD, FS)

In an agitated ball mill, 20-60 wt % of a cell-free extract, culturemedium or extrolite of the invention are comminuted with addition of2-10 wt % dispersants and wetting agents (e.g. sodium lignosulfonate andalcohol ethoxylate), 0.1-2 wt % thickener (e.g. xanthan gum) and waterad 100 wt % to give a fine active substance suspension. Dilution withwater gives a stable suspension of the active substance. For FS typecomposition up to 40 wt % binder (e.g. polyvinylalcohol) is added.

vi) Water-dispersible granules and water-soluble granules (WG, SG)

50-80 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention are ground finely with addition of dispersants and wettingagents (e.g. sodium lignosulfonate and alcohol ethoxylate) ad 100 wt %and prepared as water-dispersible or water-soluble granules by means oftechnical appliances (e. g. extrusion, spray tower, fluidized bed).Dilution with water gives a stable dispersion or solution of the activesubstance.

vii) Water-dispersible powders and water-soluble powders (WP, SP, WS)

50-80 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention are ground in a rotor-stator mill with addition of 1-5 wt %dispersants (e.g. sodium lignosulfonate), 1-3 wt % wetting agents (e.g.alcohol ethoxylate) and solid carrier (e.g. silica gel) ad 100 wt %.Dilution with water gives a stable dispersion or solution of the activesubstance.

viii) Gel (GW, GF)

In an agitated ball mill, 5-25 wt % of a cell-free extract, culturemedium or extrolite of the invention are comminuted with addition of3-10 wt % dispersants (e.g. sodium lignosulfonate), 1-5 wt % thickener(e.g. carboxymethylcellulose) and water ad 100 wt % to give a finesuspension of the active substance. Dilution with water gives a stablesuspension of the active substance.

ix) Microemulsion (ME)

5-20 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention are added to 5-30 wt % organic solvent blend (e.g. fatty aciddimethylamide and cyclohexanone), 10-25 wt % surfactant blend (e.g.alcohol ethoxylate and arylphenol ethoxylate), and water ad 100%. Thismixture is stirred for 1 h to produce spontaneously a thermodynamicallystable microemulsion.

x) Microcapsules (CS)

An oil phase comprising 5-50 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture mediumor extrolite of the invention, 0-40 wt % water insoluble organic solvent(e.g. aromatic hydrocarbon), 2-15 wt % acrylic monomers (e.g.methylmethacrylate, methacrylic acid and a di- or triacrylate) aredispersed into an aqueous solution of a protective colloid (e.g.polyvinyl alcohol). Radical polymerization initiated by a radicalinitiator results in the formation of poly(meth)acrylate microcapsules.Alternatively, an oil phase comprising 5-50 wt % of a cell-free extract,culture medium or extrolite of the invention, 0-40 wt % water insolubleorganic solvent (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbon), and an isocyanate monomer(e.g. diphenylmethene-4,4′-diisocyanatae) are dispersed into an aqueoussolution of a protective colloid (e.g. polyvinyl alcohol). The additionof a polyamine (e.g. hexamethylenediamine) results in the formation ofpolyurea microcapsules. The monomers amount to 1-10 wt %. The wt %relate to the total CS composition.

xi) Dustable powders (DP, DS)

1-10 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention are ground finely and mixed intimately with solid carrier(e.g. finely divided kaolin) ad 100 wt %.

xii) Granules (GR, FG)

0.5-30 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention are ground finely and associated with solid carrier (e.g.silicate) ad 100 wt %. Granulation is achieved by extrusion,spray-drying or fluidized bed.

xiii) Ultra-low volume liquids (UL)

1-50 wt % of a cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of theinvention are dissolved in organic solvent (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbon)ad 100 wt %.

The compositions types i) to xiii) may optionally comprise furtherauxiliaries, such as 0.1-1 wt % bactericides, 5-15 wt % anti-freezingagents, 0.1-1 wt % anti-foaming agents, and 0.1-1 wt % colorants.

When employed in plant protection, the amounts of active substancesapplied are, depending on the kind of effect desired, from 0.001 to 2 kgper ha, preferably from 0.005 to 2 kg per ha, more preferably from 0.05to 0.9 kg per ha, and in particular from 0.1 to 0.75 kg per ha.

In treatment of plant propagation materials such as seeds, e. g. bydusting, coating or drenching seed, amounts of active substance of from0.1 to 1000 g, preferably from 1 to 1000 g, more preferably from 1 to100 g and most preferably from 5 to 100 g, per 100 kilogram of plantpropagation material (preferably seeds) are generally required.

When used in the protection of materials or stored products, the amountof active substance applied depends on the kind of application area andon the desired effect. Amounts customarily applied in the protection ofmaterials are 0.001 g to 2 kg, preferably 0.005 g to 1 kg, of activesubstance per cubic meter of treated material.

Solutions for seed treatment (LS), suspoemulsions (SE), flowableconcentrates (FS), powders for dry treatment (DS), water-dispersiblepowders for slurry treatment (WS), water-soluble powders (SS), emulsions(ES), emulsifiable concentrates (EC) and gels (GF) are usually employedfor the purposes of treatment of plant propagation materials,particularly seeds.

Preferred examples of seed treatment formulation types or soilapplication for pre-mix compositions are of WS, LS, ES, FS, WG orCS-type.

Typically, a pre-mix formulation for seed treatment applicationcomprises 0.5 to 99.9 percent, especially 1 to 95 percent, of thedesired ingredients, and 99.5 to 0.1 percent, especially 99 to 5percent, of a solid or liquid adjuvant (including, for example, asolvent such as water), where the auxiliaries can be a surfactant in anamount of 0 to 50 percent, especially 0.5 to 40 percent, based on thepre-mix formulation. Whereas commercial products will preferably beformulated as concentrates (e.g., pre-mix composition (formulation)),the end user will normally employ dilute formulations (e.g., tank mixcomposition).

Seed treatment methods for applying or treating the strains, cell-freeextracts, culture media, extrolites and compositions of the invention,respectively, to plant propagation material, especially seeds, are knownin the art, and include dressing, coating, filmcoating, pelleting andsoaking application methods of the propagation material. Such methodsare also applicable to the combinations according to the invention. In apreferred embodiment, the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media,extrolites, and compositions of the invention, respectively, are appliedor treated onto the plant propagation material by a method such that thegermination is not negatively impacted. Accordingly, examples ofsuitable methods for applying (or treating) a plant propagationmaterial, such as a seed, is seed dressing, seed coating or seedpelleting and alike.

It is preferred that the plant propagation material is a seed, seedpiece (i.e. stalk) or seed bulb.

Although it is believed that the present method can be applied to a seedin any physiological state, it is preferred that the seed be in asufficiently durable state that it incurs no damage during the treatmentprocess. Typically, the seed would be a seed that had been harvestedfrom the field; removed from the plant; and separated from any cob,stalk, outer husk, and surrounding pulp or other non-seed plantmaterial. The seed would preferably also be biologically stable to theextent that the treatment would cause no biological damage to the seed.It is believed that the treatment can be applied to the seed at any timebetween harvest of the seed and sowing of the seed or during the sowingprocess (seed directed applications). The seed may also be primed eitherbefore or after the treatment.

Even distribution of the ingredients in the strains, cell-free extracts,culture media, extrolites, and compositions of the invention,respectively, and adherence thereof to the seeds is desired duringpropagation material treatment. Treatment could vary from a thin film(dressing) of the formulation containing the combination, for example, amixture of active ingredient(s), on a plant propagation material, suchas a seed, where the original size and/or shape are recognizable to anintermediary state (such as a coating) and then to a thicker film (suchas pelleting with many layers of different materials (such as carriers,for example, clays; different formulations, such as of other activeingredients; polymers; and colourants) where the original shape and/orsize of the seed is no longer recognizable.

An aspect of the present invention includes application of the strains,cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites and compositions of theinvention, respectively, onto the plant propagation material in atargeted fashion, including positioning the ingredients in thecombination onto the entire plant propagation material or on only partsthereof, including on only a single side or a portion of a single side.One of ordinary skill in the art would understand these applicationmethods from the description provided in EP954213B1 and WO06/112700.

The strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites andcompositions of the invention, respectively, can also be used in form ofa “pill” or “pellet” or a suitable substrate and placing, or sowing, thetreated pill, or substrate, next to a plant propagation material. Suchtechniques are known in the art, particularly in EP1124414, WO07/67042,and WO07/67044. Application of the strains, cell-free extracts, culturemedia, extrolites and compositions, respectively, described herein ontoplant propagation material also includes protecting the plantpropagation material treated with the combination of the presentinvention by placing one or more pesticide-containing particles next toa pesticide-treated seed, wherein the amount of pesticide is such thatthe pesticide-treated seed and the pesticide-containing particlestogether contain an Effective Dose of the pesticide and the pesticidedose contained in the pesticide-treated seed is less than or equal tothe Maximal Non-Phytotoxic Dose of the pesticide. Such techniques areknown in the art, particularly in WO2005/120226.

Application of the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media,extrolites and compositions of the invention, respectively, onto theseed also includes controlled release coatings on the seeds, wherein theingredients of the combinations are incorporated into materials thatrelease the ingredients over time. Examples of controlled release seedtreatment technologies are generally known in the art and includepolymer films, waxes, or other seed coatings, wherein the ingredientsmay be incorporated into the controlled release material or appliedbetween layers of materials, or both.

Seed can be treated by applying thereto the compound s present in theinventive mixtures in any desired sequence or simultaneously.

The seed treatment occurs to an unsown seed, and the term “unsown seed”is meant to include seed at any period between the harvest of the seedand the sowing of the seed in the ground for the purpose of germinationand growth of the plant. Treatment to an unsown seed is not meant toinclude those practices in which the active ingredient is applied to thesoil but would include any application practice that would target theseed during the planting process.

Preferably, the treatment occurs before sowing of the seed so that thesown seed has been pre-treated with the strains, cell-free extracts,culture media, extrolites and compositions of the invention,respectively. In particular, seed coating or seed pelleting arepreferred. As a result of the treatment, the ingredients are adhered onto the seed and therefore available for pest control.

The treated seeds can be stored, handled, sowed and tilled in the samemanner as any other active ingredient treated seed.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method for protectionof plant propagation material from pests and/or improving the health ofplants grown from said plant propagation material, wherein the soil,wherein plant propagation material is sown, is treated with an effectiveamount of a strain, cell-free extract, culture medium, extrolite orcomposition of the invention, respectively.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method for protectionof plant propagation material from pests, wherein the soil, whereinplant propagation material is sown, is treated with an effective amountof a strain, cell-free extract, culture medium, extrolite or compositionof the invention, respectively.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method for protectionof plant propagation material from harmful fungi, wherein the soil,wherein plant propagation material is sown, is treated with an effectiveamount of a strain, cell-free extract, culture medium, extrolite orcomposition of the invention, respectively.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method for protectionof plant propagation material from animal pests (insects, acarids ornematodes), wherein the soil, wherein plant propagation material issown, is treated with an effective amount of a strain, cell-freeextract, culture medium, extrolite or composition of the invention,respectively.

The user applies the compositions of the invention usually from apredosage device, a knapsack sprayer, a spray tank, a spray plane, or anirrigation system. Usually, the agrochemical composition is made up withwater, buffer, and/or further auxiliaries to the desired applicationconcentration and the ready-to-use spray liquor or the agrochemicalcomposition according to the invention is thus obtained. Usually, 20 to2000 liters, preferably 50 to 400 liters, of the ready-to-use sprayliquor are applied per hectare of agricultural useful area.

When it comes to the treatment of plant propagation material, especiallyseeds, the compositions disclosed herein give, after two-to-tenfolddilution, active substance concentrations of from 0.01 to 60% by weight,preferably from 0.1 to 40%, in the ready-to-use preparations.Application can be carried out before or during sowing. Methods forapplying a strain, cell-free extract, culture medium, extrolite orcomposition of the invention, respectively, onto plant propagationmaterial, especially seeds, include dressing, coating, pelleting,dusting, soaking and in-furrow application methods of the propagationmaterial. Preferably, the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media,extrolites or compositions of the invention, respectively, are appliedonto the plant propagation material by a method such that germination isnot induced, e. g. by seed dressing, pelleting, coating and dusting.

According to one embodiment, individual components of the composition ofthe invention such as parts of a kit or parts of a binary or ternarymixture may be mixed by the user himself in a spray tank or any otherkind of vessel used for applications (e.g seed treater drums, seedpelleting machinery, knapsack sprayer) and further auxiliaries may beadded, if appropriate.

If living microorganisms, such as the strains of the invention, formpart of such kit, it must be taken care that choice and amounts of thecomponents (e.g. chemcial pesticidal agents) and of the furtherauxiliaries should not influence the viability of the microorganisms inthe composition mixed by the user. Especially for bactericides andsolvents, compatibility with the respective microorganisms has to betaken into account.

Various types of oils, wetters, adjuvants, fertilizer, ormicronutrients, and further pesticides (e.g. herbicides, insecticides,fungicides, growth regulators, safeners, bio-pesticides) may be added tothe active substances or the compositions comprising them as premix or,if appropriate not until immediately prior to use (tank mix). Theseagents can be admixed with the compositions according to the inventionin a weight ratio of 1:100 to 100:1, preferably 1:10 to 10:1.

A pesticide is generally a chemical or biological agent (such as avirus, bacterium, antimicrobial or disinfectant) that through its effectdeters, incapacitates, kills or otherwise discourages pests. Targetpests can include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, mollusks, birds,mammals, fish, nematodes (roundworms), and microbes that destroyproperty, cause nuisance, spread disease or are vectors for disease. Theterm pesticides includes also plant growth regulators that alter theexpected growth, flowering, or reproduction rate of plants; defoliantsthat cause leaves or other foliage to drop from a plant, usually tofacilitate harvest; desiccants that promote drying of living tissues,such as unwanted plant tops; plant activators that activate plantphysiology for defense of against certain pests; safeners that reduceunwanted herbicidal action of pesticides on crop plants; and plantgrowth promoters that affect plant physiology to increase plant growth,biomass, yield or any other quality parameter of the harvestable goodsof acrop plant.

Biopesticides are typically created by growing and concentratingnaturally occurring organisms and/or their metabolites includingbacteria and other microbes, fungi, viruses, nematodes, proteins, etc.They are often considered to be important components of integrated pestmanagement (IPM) programmes.

Biopesticides fall into two major classes, microbial and biochemicalpesticides:

-   -   (1) Microbial pesticides consist of bacteria, fungi or viruses        (and often include the metabolites that bacteria and fungi        produce). Entomopathogenic nematodes are also classed as        microbial pesticides, even though they are multi-cellular.    -   (2) Biochemical pesticides are naturally occurring substances        that control pests or provide other crop protection uses as        defined below, but are relatively non-toxic to mammals.

Mixing the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media, extrolites andcompositions of the invention, respectively, in the use form asfungicides with other fungicides results in many cases in an expansionof the fungicidal spectrum of activity being obtained or in a preventionof fungicide resistance development. Furthermore, in many cases,synergistic effects are obtained.

The following list of pesticides II (e.g. pesticidally-active substancesand biopesticides), in conjunction with which the strains, cell-freeextracts, culture media, and extrolites of the invention, respectively,can be used, is intended to illustrate the possible combinations butdoes not limit them:

A) Respiration inhibitors

-   -   Inhibitors of complex III at Q_(o) site (e.g. strobilurins):        azoxystrobin (A.1.1), coumethoxystrobin (A.1.2), coumoxystrobin        (A.1.3), dimoxystrobin (A.1.4), enestroburin (A.1.5),        fenaminstrobin (A.1.6), fenoxystrobin/flufenoxystrobin (A.1.7),        fluoxastrobin (A.1.8), kresoxim-methyl (A.1.9), mandestrobin        (A.1.10), metominostrobin (A.1.11), orysastrobin (A.1.12),        picoxystrobin (A.1.13), pyraclostrobin (A.1.14), pyrametostrobin        (A.1.15), pyraoxystrobin (A.1.16), trifloxystrobin (A.1.17) and        2-(2-(3-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-1-methyl-allylideneaminooxymethyl)-phenyl)-2-methoxyiminoN-methyl-acetamide        (A.1.18), pyribencarb (A.1.19), triclopyricarb/chlorodincarb        (A.1.20), famoxadone (A.1.21), fenamidone (A.1.21);    -   inhibitors of complex III at Q_(i) site: cyazofamid (A.2.1),        amisulbrom (A.2.2),        [(3S,6S,7R,8R)-8-benzyl-3-[(3-acetoxy-4-methoxy-pyridine-2-carbonyl)amino]-6-methyl-4,9-dioxo-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl]        2-methylpropanoate (A.2.3),        [(3S,6S,7R,8R)-8-benzyl-3-[[3-(acetoxymethoxy)-4-methoxy-pyridine-2-carbonyl]amino]-6-methyl-4,9-dioxo-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl]        2-methylpropanoate (A.2.4),        [(3S,6S,7R,8R)-8-benzyl-3-[(3-isobutoxycarbonyloxy-4-methoxy-pyridine-2-carbonyl)amino]-6-methyl-4,9-dioxo-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl]        2-methylpropanoate (A.2.5),        [(3S,6S,7R,8R)-8-benzyl-3-[[3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethoxy)-4-methoxy-pyridine-2-carbonyl]amino]-6-methyl-4,9-dioxo-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl]        2-methylpropanoate (A.2.6);        (3S,6S,7R,8R)-3-[[(3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-2-pyridinyl)carbonyl]amino]-6-methyl-4,9-dioxo-8-(phenylmethyl)-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl        2-methylpropanoate (A.2.7);    -   inhibitors of complex II (e. g. carboxamides): benodanil        (A.3.1), benzovindiflupyr (A.3.2), bixafen (A.3.3), boscalid        (A.3.4), carboxin (A.3.5), fenfuram (A.3.6), fluopyram (A.3.7),        flutolanil (A.3.8), fluxapyroxad (A.3.9), furametpyr (A.3.10),        isofetamid (A.3.11), isopyrazam (A.3.12), mepronil (A.3.13),        oxycarboxin (A.3.14), penflufen (A.3.14), penthiopyrad (A.3.15),        sedaxane (A.3.16), tecloftalam (A.3.17), thifluzamide (A.3.18),        N-(4′-trifluoromethylthiobiphenyl-2-yl)-3-difluoromethyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.19),        N-(2-(1,3,3-trimethyl-butyl)-phenyl)-1,3-dimethyl-5-fluoro-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.20),        3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-N-(1,1,3-trimethylindan-4-yl)pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.21),        3-(trifluoromethyl)-1-methyl-N-(1,1,3-trimethylindan-4-yl)pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.22),        1,3-dimethyl-N-(1,1,3-trimethylindan-4-yl)pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.23),        3-(trifluoromethyl)-1,5-dimethyl-N-(1,1,3-trimethylindan-4-yl)pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.24),        1,3,5-trimethyl-N-(1,1,3-trimethylindan-4-yl)pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.25),        N-(7-fluoro-1,1,3-trimethyl-indan-4-yl)-1,3-dimethyl-pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.26),        N-[2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-methoxy-1-methyl-ethyl]-3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-pyrazole-4-carboxamide        (A.3.27);    -   other respiration inhibitors (e.g. complex I, uncouplers):        diflumetorim (A.4.1),        (5,8-difluoroquinazolin-4-yl)-{2-[2-fluoro-4-(4-trifluoromethylpyridin-2-yloxy)-phenyl]-ethyl}-amine        (A.4.2); nitrophenyl derivates: binapacryl (A.4.3), dinobuton        (A.4.4), dinocap (A.4.5), fluazinam (A.4.6); ferimzone (A.4.7);        organometal compounds: fentin salts, such as fentin-acetate        (A.4.8), fentin chloride (A.4.9) or fentin hydroxide (A.4.10);        ametoctradin (A.4.11); and silthiofam (A.4.12);        B) Sterol biosynthesis inhibitors (SBI fungicides)    -   C14 demethylase inhibitors (DMI fungicides): triazoles:        azaconazole (B.1.1), bitertanol (B.1.2), bromuconazole (B.1.3),        cyproconazole (B.1.4), difenoconazole (B.1.5), diniconazole        (B.1.6), diniconazole-M (B.1.7), epoxiconazole (B.1.8),        fenbuconazole (B.1.9), fluquinconazole (B.1.10), flusilazole        (B.1.11), flutriafol (B.1.12), hexaconazole (B.1.13),        imibenconazole (B.1.14), ipconazole (B.1.15), metconazole        (B.1.17), myclobutanil (B.1.18), oxpoconazole (B.1.19),        paclobutrazole (B.1.20), penconazole (B.1.21), propiconazole        (B.1.22), prothioconazole (B.1.23), simeconazole (B.1.24),        tebuconazole (B.1.25), tetraconazole (B.1.26), triadimefon        (B.1.27), triadimenol (B.1.28), triticonazole (B.1.29),        uniconazole (B.1.30),        1-[rel-(2S,3A)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-oxiranylmethyl]-5-thiocyanato-1H-[1,2,4]triazolo        (B.1.31),        2-[rel-(2S;3A)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-oxiranylmethyl]-2H-[1,2,4]triazole-3-thiol        (B.1.32),        2-[2-chloro-4-(4-chlorophenoxy)phenyl]-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentan-2-ol        (B.1.33),        1-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-cyclopropyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)ethanol        (B.1.34),        2-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butan-2-ol        (B.1.35),        2-[2-chloro-4-(4-chlorophenoxy)phenyl]-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butan-2-ol        (B.1.36),        2-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-3-methyl-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butan-2-ol        (B.1.37),        2-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propan-2-ol        (B.1.38),        2-[2-chloro-4-(4-chlorophenoxy)phenyl]-3-methyl-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butan-2-ol        (B.1.39),        2-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentan-2-ol        (B.1.40),        2-[4-(4-fluorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propan-2-ol        (B.1.41); imidazoles: imazalil (B.1.42), pefurazoate (B.1.43),        prochloraz (B.1.44), triflumizol (B.1.45); pyrimidines,        pyridines and piperazines: fenarimol (B.1.46), nuarimol        (B.1.47), pyrifenox (B.1.48), triforine (B.1.49),        [3-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-phenyl)-5-(2,4-difluorophenypisoxazol-4-yl]-(3-pyridyl)methanol        (B.1.50);    -   Delta14-reductase inhibitors: aldimorph (B.2.1), dodemorph        (B.2.2), dodemorphacetate (B.2.3), fenpropimorph (B.2.4),        tridemorph (B.2.5), fenpropidin (B.2.6), piperalin (B.2.7),        spiroxamine (B.2.8);    -   Inhibitors of 3-keto reductase: fenhexamid (B.3.1);        C) Nucleic acid synthesis inhibitors    -   phenylamides or acyl amino acid fungicides: benalaxyl (C.1.1),        benalaxyl-M (C.1.2), kiralaxyl (C.1.3), metalaxyl (C.1.4),        metalaxyl-M (mefenoxam, C.1.5), ofurace (C.1.6), oxadixyl        (C.1.7);    -   others: hymexazole (C.2.1), octhilinone (C.2.2), oxolinic acid        (C.2.3), bupirimate (C.2.4), 5-fluorocytosine (C.2.5),        5-fluoro-2-(p-tolylmethoxy)pyrimidin-4-amine (C.2.6),        5-fluoro-2-(4-fluorophenylmethoxy)pyrimidin-4-amine (C.2.7);        D) Inhibitors of cell division and cytoskeleton    -   tubulin inhibitors, such as benzimidazoles, thiophanates:        benomyl (D1.1), carbendazim (D1.2), fuberidazole (D1.3),        thiabendazole (D1.4), thiophanate-methyl (D1.5);        triazolopyrimidines:        5-chloro-7-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine        (D1.6);    -   other cell division inhibitors: diethofencarb (D2.1), ethaboxam        (D2.2), pencycuron (D2.3), fluopicolide (D2.4), zoxamide (D2.5),        metrafenone (D2.6), pyriofenone (D2.7);        E) Inhibitors of amino acid and protein synthesis    -   methionine synthesis inhibitors (anilino-pyrimidines):        cyprodinil (E.1.1), mepanipyrim (E.1.2), pyrimethanil (E.1.3);    -   protein synthesis inhibitors: blasticidin-S(E.2.1), kasugamycin        (E.2.2), kasugamycin hydrochloride-hydrate (E.2.3), mildiomycin        (E.2.4), streptomycin (E.2.5), oxytetracyclin (E.2.6), polyoxine        (E.2.7), validamycin A (E.2.8);        F) Signal transduction inhibitors    -   MAP/histidine kinase inhibitors: fluoroimid (F.1.1), iprodione        (F.1.2), procymidone (F.1.3), vinclozolin (F.1.4), fenpiclonil        (F.1.5), fludioxonil (F.1.6);    -   G protein inhibitors: quinoxyfen (F.2.1);        G) Lipid and membrane synthesis inhibitors    -   Phospholipid biosynthesis inhibitors: edifenphos (G.1.1),        iprobenfos (G.1.2), pyrazophos (G.1.3), isoprothiolane (G.1.4);    -   lipid peroxidation: dicloran (G.2.1), quintozene (G.2.2),        tecnazene (G.2.3), tolclofosmethyl (G.2.4), biphenyl (G.2.5),        chloroneb (G.2.6), etridiazole (G.2.7);    -   phospholipid biosynthesis and cell wall deposition: dimethomorph        (G.3.1), flumorph (G.3.2), mandipropamid (G.3.3), pyrimorph        (G.3.4), benthiavalicarb (G.3.5), iprovalicarb (G.3.6),        valifenalate (G.3.7) and        N-(1-(1-(4-cyano-phenyl)ethanesulfonyl)-but-2-yl) carbamic        acid-(4-fluorophenyl) ester (G.3.8);    -   compounds affecting cell membrane permeability and fatty acides:        propamocarb (G.4.1);    -   fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors: oxathiapiprolin (G.5.1);        H) Inhibitors with Multi Site Action    -   inorganic active substances: Bordeaux mixture (H.1.1), copper        acetate (H.1.2), copper hydroxide (H.1.3), copper oxychloride        (H.1.4), basic copper sulfate (H.1.5), sulfur (H.1.6);    -   thio- and dithiocarbamates: ferbam (H.2.1), mancozeb (H.2.2),        maneb (H.2.3), metam (H.2.4), metiram (H.2.5), propineb (H.2.6),        thiram (H.2.7), zineb (H.2.8), ziram (H.2.9);    -   organochlorine compounds (e.g. phthalimides, sulfamides,        chloronitriles): anilazine (H.3.1), chlorothalonil (H.3.2),        captafol (H.3.3), captan (H.3.4), folpet (H.3.5), dichlofluanid        (H.3.6), dichlorophen (H.3.7), hexachlorobenzene (H.3.8),        pentachlorphenole (H.3.9) and its salts, phthalide (H.3.10),        tolylfluanid (H.3.11),        N-(4-chloro-2-nitro-phenyl)-N-ethyl-4-methyl-benzenesulfonamide        (H.3.12);    -   guanidines and others: guanidine (H.4.1), dodine (H.4.2), dodine        free base (H.4.3), guazatine (H.4.4), guazatine-acetate (H.4.5),        iminoctadine (H.4.6), iminoctadinetriacetate (H.4.7),        iminoctadine-tris(albesilate) (H.4.8), dithianon (H.4.9),        2,6-dimethyl-1H,5H-[1,4]dithiino[2,3-c:5,6-c]dipyrrole-1,3,5,7(2H,6H)-tetraone        (H.4.10);        I) Cell wall synthesis inhibitors    -   inhibitors of glucan synthesis: validamycin (I.1.1), polyoxin B        (I.1.2);    -   melanin synthesis inhibitors: pyroquilon (I.2.1), tricyclazole        (I.2.2), carpropamid (I.2.3), dicyclomet (I.2.4), fenoxanil        (I.2.5);        J) Plant defence inducers    -   acibenzolar-S-methyl (J.1.1), probenazole (J.1.2), isotianil        (J.1.3), tiadinil (J.1.4), prohexadione-calcium (J.1.5);        phosphonates: fosetyl (J.1.6), fosetyl-aluminum (J.1.7),        phosphorous acid and its salts (J.1.8), potassium or sodium        bicarbonate (J.1.9);        K) Unknown mode of action    -   bronopol (K.1.1), chinomethionat (K.1.2), cyflufenamid (K.1.3),        cymoxanil (K.1.4), dazomet (K.1.5), debacarb (K.1.6),        diclomezine (K.1.7), difenzoquat (K.1.8),        difenzoquat-methylsulfate (K.1.9), diphenylamin (K.1.10),        fenpyrazamine (K.1.11), flumetover (K.1.12), flusulfamide        (K.1.13), flutianil (K.1.14), methasulfocarb (K.1.15),        nitrapyrin (K.1.16), nitrothal-isopropyl (K.1.18),        oxathiapiprolin (K.1.19), tolprocarb (K.1.20), oxin-copper        (K.1.21), proquinazid (K.1.22), tebufloquin (K.1.23),        tecloftalam (K.1.24), triazoxide (K.1.25),        2-butoxy-6-iodo-3-propylchromen-4-one (K.1.26),        2-[3,5-bis(difluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]-1-[4-(4-{5-[2-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-3-yl}-1,3-thiazol-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl]ethanone        (K.1.27),        2-[3,5-bis(difluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]-1-[4-(4-{5-[2-fluoro-6-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-3-yl}-1,3-thiazol-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl]ethanone        (K.1.28),        2-[3,5-bis(difluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]-1-[4-(4-{5-[2-chloro-6-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-3-yl}-1,3-thiazol-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl]ethanone        (K.1.29),        N-(cyclopropylethoxyimino-(6-difluoro-methoxy-2,3-difluoro-phenyl)-methyl)-2-phenyl        acetamide (K.1.30),        N′-(4-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-2,5-dimethyl-phenyl)-N-ethyl-N-methyl        formamidine (K.1.31),        N′-(4-(4-fluoro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-2,5-dimethyl-phenyl)-N-ethyl-N-methyl        formamidine (K.1.32),        N′-(2-methyl-5-trifluoromethyl-4-(3-trimethylsilanyl-propoxy)phenyl)-N-ethyl-N-methyl        formamidine (K.1.33),        N′-(5-difluoromethyl-2-methyl-4-(3-trimethylsilanyl-propoxy)-phenyl)-N-ethyl-N-methyl        formamidine (K.1.34), methoxyacetic acid        6-tert-butyl-8-fluoro-2,3-dimethyl-quinolin-4-yl ester (K.1.35),        3-[5-(4-methylphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-isoxazolidin-3-yl]-pyridine        (K.1.36),        3-[5-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-isoxazolidin-3-yl]-pyridine        (pyrisoxazole) (K.1.37), N-(6-methoxy-pyridin-3-yl)        cyclopropanecarboxylic acid amide (K.1.38),        5-chloro-1-(4,6-dimethoxy-pyrimidin-2-yl)-2-methyl-1H-benzoimidazole        (K.1.39),        2-(4-chloro-phenyl)N-[4-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-isoxazol-5-yl]-2-prop-2-ynyloxy-acetamide,        ethyl (Z)-3-amino-2-cyano-3-phenyl-prop-2-enoate (K.1.40),        picarbutrazox (K.1.41), pentyl        N-[6-[[(Z)-[(1-methyltetrazol-5-yl)-phenyl-methylene]amino]oxymethyl]-2-pyridyl]carbamate        (K.1.42),        2-[2-[(7,8-difluoro-2-methyl-3-quinolyl)oxy]-6-fluoro-phenyl]propan-2-ol        (K.1.43),        2-[2-fluoro-6-[(8-fluoro-2-methyl-3-quinolyl)oxy]phenyl]propan-2-ol        (K.1.44),        3-(5-fluoro-3,3,4,4-tetramethyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1-yl)quinoline        (K.1.45),        3-(4,4-difluoro-3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1-yl)quinoline        (K.1.46),        3-(4,4,5-trifluoro-3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1-yl)quinoline        (K.1.47);

L) Biopesticides

-   -   L1) Microbial pesticides with fungicidal, bactericidal,        viricidal and/or plant defense activator activity: Ampelomyces        quisqualis, Aspergillus flavus, Aureobasidium pullulans,        Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, B. mojavensis, B. pumilus, B.        simplex, B. solisalsi, B. subtilis, B. subtilis var.        amyloliquefaciens, Candida oleophila, C. saitoana, Clavibacter        michiganensis (bacteriophages), Coniothyrium minitans,        Cryphonectria parasitica, Cryptococcus albidus, Dilophosphora        alopecuri, Fusarium oxysporum, Clonostachys rosea f. catenulate        (also named Gliocladium catenulatum), Gliocladium roseum,        Lysobacter antibioticus, L. enzymogenes, Metschnikowia        fructicola, Microdochium dimerum, Microsphaeropsis ochracea,        Muscodor albus, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Pantoea vagans,        Phlebiopsis gigantea, Pseudomonas sp., Pseudomonas chloraphis,        Pseudozyma flocculosa, Pichia anomala, Pythium oligandrum,        Sphaerodes mycoparasitica, Streptomyces griseoviridis, S.        lydicus, S. violaceusniger, Talaromyces flavus, Trichoderma        asperellum, T. atroviride, T. fertile, T. gamsii, T.        harmatum, T. harzianum; mixture of T. harzianum and T. viride;        mixture of T. polysporum and T. harzianum; T. stromaticum, T.        virens (also named Gliocladium virens), T. viride, Typhula        phacorrhiza, Ulocladium oudemansii, Verticillium dahlia,        zucchini yellow mosaic virus (avirulent strain);    -   L2) Biochemical pesticides with fungicidal, bactericidal,        viricidal and/or plant defense activator activity: chitosan        (hydrolysate), harpin protein, laminarin, Menhaden fish oil,        natamycin, Plum pox virus coat protein, potassium or sodium        bicarbonate, Reynoutria sachlinensis extract, salicylic acid,        tea tree oil;    -   L3) Microbial pesticides with insecticidal, acaricidal,        molluscidal and/or nematicidal activity: Agrobacterium        radiobacter, Bacillus cereus, B. firmus, B. thuringiensis, B.        thuringiensis ssp. aizawai, B. t. ssp. israelensis, B. t. ssp.        galleriae, B. t. ssp. kurstaki, B. t. ssp. tenebrionis,        Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii, Burkholderia sp.,        Chromobacterium subtsugae, Cydia pomonella granulosis virus,        Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus (CrleGV), Isaria        fumosorosea, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Lecanicillium        longisporum, L. muscarium (formerly Verticillium lecanii),        Metarhizium anisopliae, M. anisopliae var. acridum, Nomuraea        rileyi, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, P. lilacinus, Paenibacillus        popilliae, Pasteuria spp., P. nishizawae, P. penetrans, P.        ramose, P. reneformis, P. thornea, P. usgae, Pseudomonas        fluorescens, Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae, S. kraussei;    -   L4) Biochemical pesticides with insecticidal, acaricidal,        molluscidal, pheromone and/or nematicidal activity: L-carvone,        citral, (E,Z)-7,9-dodecadien-1-yl acetate, ethyl formate,        (E,Z)-2,4-ethyl decadienoate (pear ester),        (Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal, heptyl butyrate, isopropyl        myristate, lavanulyl senecioate, cis-jasmone, 2-methyl        1-butanol, methyl eugenol, methyl jasmonate,        (E,Z)-2,13-octadecadien-1-ol, (E,Z)-2,13-octadecadien-1-ol        acetate, (E,Z)-3,13-octadecadien-1-ol, R-1-octen-3-ol,        pentatermanone, potassium silicate, sorbitol actanoate,        (E,Z,Z)-3,8,11-tetradecatrienyl acetate,        (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetate, Z-7-tetradecen-2-one,        Z-9-tetradecen-1-ylacetate, Z-11-tetradecenal,        Z-11-tetradecen-1-ol, Acacia negra extract, extract of        grapefruit seeds and pulp, extract of Chenopodium ambrosiodae,        Catnip oil, Neem oil, Quillay extract, Tagetes oil;    -   L5) Microbial pesticides with plant stress reducing, plant        growth regulator, plant growth promoting and/or yield enhancing        activity: Azospirillum amazonense A. brasilense, A.        lipoferum, A. irakense, A. halopraeferens, Bradyrhizobium        sp., B. elkanii, B. japonicum, B. liaoningense, B. lupini,        Delftia acidovorans, Glomus intraradices, Mesorhizobium sp.,        Paenibacillus alvei, Penicillium bilaiae, Rhizobium        leguminosarum bv. phaseolii, R. I. trifolii, R. I. bv.        viciae, R. tropici, Sinorhizobium meliloti;    -   L6) Biochemical pesticides with plant stress reducing, plant        growth regulator and/or plant yield enhancing activity: abscisic        acid, aluminium silicate (kaolin), 3-decen-2-one, formononetin,        genistein, hesperetin, homobrassinlide, humates, jasmonic acid        or salts or derivatives thereof, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine,        naringenin, polymeric polyhydroxy acid, Ascophyllum nodosum        (Norwegian kelp, Brown kelp) extract and Ecklonia maxima (kelp)        extract;        M) Growth regulators    -   abscisic acid (M.1.1), amidochlor, ancymidol,        6-benzylaminopurine, brassinolide, butralin, chlormequat        (chlormequat chloride), choline chloride, cyclanilide,        daminozide, dikegulac, dimethipin, 2,6-dimethylpuridine,        ethephon, flumetralin, flurprimidol, fluthiacet,        forchlorfenuron, gibberellic acid, inabenfide, indole-3-acetic        acid, maleic hydrazide, mefluidide, mepiquat (mepiquat        chloride), naphthaleneacetic acid, N-6-benzyladenine,        paclobutrazol, prohexadione (prohexadione-calcium),        prohydrojasmon, thidiazuron, triapenthenol, tributyl        phosphorotrithioate, 2,3,5-tri-iodobenzoic acid,        trinexapac-ethyl and uniconazole;

N) Herbicides

-   -   acetamides: acetochlor (N.1.1), alachlor, butachlor,        dimethachlor, dimethenamid (N.1.2), flufenacet (N.1.3),        mefenacet (N.1.4), metolachlor (N.1.5), metazachlor (N.1.6),        napropamide, naproanilide, pethoxamid, pretilachlor, propachlor,        thenylchlor;    -   amino acid derivatives: bilanafos, glyphosate (N.2.1),        glufosinate (N.2.2), sulfosate (N.2.3);    -   aryloxyphenoxypropionates: clodinafop (N.3.1), cyhalofop-butyl,        fenoxaprop (N.3.2), fluazifop (N.3.3), haloxyfop (N.3.4),        metamifop, propaquizafop, quizalofop, quizalofop-P-tefuryl;    -   Bipyridyls: diquat, paraquat (N.4.1);    -   (thio)carbamates: asulam, butylate, carbetamide, desmedipham,        dimepiperate, eptam (EPTC), esprocarb, molinate, orbencarb,        phenmedipham (N.5.1), prosulfocarb, pyributicarb, thiobencarb,        triallate;    -   cyclohexanediones: butroxydim, clethodim (N.6.1), cycloxydim        (N.6.2), profoxydim (N.6.3), sethoxydim (N.6.4), tepraloxydim        (N.6.5), tralkoxydim;    -   dinitroanilines: benfluralin, ethalfluralin, oryzalin,        pendimethalin (N.7.1), prodiamine (N.7.2), trifluralin (N.7.3);    -   diphenyl ethers: acifluorfen (N.8.1), aclonifen, bifenox,        diclofop, ethoxyfen, fomesafen, lactofen, oxyfluorfen;    -   hydroxybenzonitriles: bomoxynil (N.9.1), dichlobenil, ioxynil;    -   imidazolinones: imazamethabenz, imazamox (N.10.1), imazapic        (N.10.2), imazapyr (N.10.3), imazaquin (N.10.4), imazethapyr        (N.10.5);    -   phenoxy acetic acids: clomeprop, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid        (2,4-D) (N.11.1), 2,4-DB, dichlorprop, MCPA, MCPA-thioethyl,        MCPB, Mecoprop;    -   pyrazines: chloridazon (N.11.1), flufenpyr-ethyl, fluthiacet,        norflurazon, pyridate;    -   pyridines: aminopyralid, clopyralid (N.12.1), diflufenican,        dithiopyr, fluridone, fluroxypyr (N.12.2), picloram (N.12.3),        picolinafen (N.12.4), thiazopyr;    -   sulfonyl ureas: amidosulfuron, azimsulfuron, bensulfuron        (N.13.1), chlorimuron-ethyl (N.13.2), chlorsulfuron,        cinosulfuron, cyclosulfamuron (N.13.3), ethoxysulfuron,        flazasulfuron, flucetosulfuron, flupyrsulfuron, foramsulfuron,        halosulfuron, imazosulfuron, iodosulfuron (N.13.4), mesosulfuron        (N.13.5), metazosulfuron, metsulfuronmethyl (N.13.6),        nicosulfuron (N.13.7), oxasulfuron, primisulfuron, prosulfuron,        pyrazosulfuron, rimsulfuron (N.13.8), sulfometuron,        sulfosulfuron, thifensulfuron, triasulfuron, tribenuron,        trifloxysulfuron, triflusulfuron (N.13.9), tritosulfuron,        1-((2-chloro-6-propyl-imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-3-yl)sulfonyl)-3-(4,6-dimethoxy-pyrimidin-2-yl)urea;    -   triazines: ametryn, atrazine (N.14.1), cyanazine, dimethametryn,        ethiozin, hexazinone (N.14.2), metamitron, metribuzin,        prometryn, simazine, terbuthylazine, terbutryn, triaziflam;    -   ureas: chlorotoluron, daimuron, diuron (N.15.1), fluometuron,        isoproturon, linuron, methabenzthiazuron, tebuthiuron;    -   other acetolactate synthase inhibitors: bispyribac-sodium,        cloransulam-methyl, diclosulam, florasulam (N.16.1),        flucarbazone, flumetsulam, metosulam, orthosulfamuron,        penoxsulam, propoxycarbazone, pyribambenz-propyl, pyribenzoxim,        pyriftalid, pyriminobac-methyl, pyrimisulfan, pyrithiobac,        pyroxasulfone (N.16.2), pyroxsulam;    -   others: amicarbazone, aminotriazole, anilofos, beflubutamid,        benazolin, bencarbazone, benfluresate, benzofenap, bentazone        (N.17.1), benzobicyclon, bicyclopyrone, bromacil, bromobutide,        butafenacil, butamifos, cafenstrole, carfentrazone, cinidonethyl        (N.17.2), chlorthal, cinmethylin (N.17.3), clomazone (N.17.4),        cumyluron, cyprosulfamide, dicamba (N.17.5), difenzoquat,        diflufenzopyr (N.17.6), Drechslera monoceras, endothal,        ethofumesate, etobenzanid, fenoxasulfone, fentrazamide,        flumiclorac-pentyl, flumioxazin, flupoxam, flurochloridone,        flurtamone, indanofan, isoxaben, isoxaflutole, lenacil,        propanil, propyzamide, quinclorac (N.17.7), quinmerac (N.17.8),        mesotrione (N.17.9), methyl arsonic acid, naptalam, oxadiargyl,        oxadiazon, oxaziclomefone, pentoxazone, pinoxaden, pyraclonil,        pyraflufen-ethyl, pyrasulfotole, pyrazoxyfen, pyrazolynate,        quinoclamine, saflufenacil (N.17.10), sulcotrione (N.17.11),        sulfentrazone, terbacil, tefuryltrione, tembotrione,        thiencarbazone, topramezone (N.17.12),        (3-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(3-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-trifluoromethyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyrimidin-1-yl)-phenoxy]-pyridin-2-yloxy)-acetic        acid ethyl ester,        6-amino-5-chloro-2-cyclopropyl-pyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid        methyl ester,        6-chloro-3-(2-cyclopropyl-6-methyl-phenoxy)-pyridazin-4-ol,        4-amino-3-chloro-6-(4-chloro-phenyl)-5-fluoro-pyridine-2-carboxylic        acid,        4-amino-3-chloro-6-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-methoxy-phenyl)-pyridine-2-carboxylic        acid methyl ester, and        4-amino-3-chloro-6-(4-chloro-3-dimethylamino-2-fluoro-phenyl)-pyridine-2-carboxylic        acid methyl ester;

O) Insecticides

-   -   organo(thio)phosphates: acephate (O.1.1), azamethiphos (O.1.2),        azinphos-methyl (O.1.3), chlorpyrifos (O.1.4),        chlorpyrifos-methyl (O.1.5), chlorfenvinphos (O.1.6), diazinon        (O.1.7), dichlorvos (O.1.8), dicrotophos (O.1.9), dimethoate        (O.1.10), disulfoton (O.1.11), ethion (O.1.12), fenitrothion        (O.1.13), fenthion (O.1.14), isoxathion (O.1.15), malathion        (O.1.16), methamidophos (O.1.17), methidathion (O.1.18),        methyl-parathion (O.1.19), mevinphos (O.1.20), monocrotophos        (O.1.21), oxydemetonmethyl (O.1.22), paraoxon (O.1.23),        parathion (O.1.24), phenthoate (O.1.25), phosalone (O.1.26),        phosmet (O.1.27), phosphamidon (O.1.28), phorate (O.1.29),        phoxim (O.1.30), pirimiphos-methyl (O.1.31), profenofos        (O.1.32), prothiofos (O.1.33), sulprophos (O.1.34),        tetrachlorvinphos (O.1.35), terbufos (O.1.36), triazophos        (O.1.37), trichlorfon (O.1.38);    -   carbamates: alanycarb (O.2.1), aldicarb (O.2.2), bendiocarb        (O.2.3), benfuracarb (O.2.4), carbaryl (O.2.5), carbofuran        (O.2.6), carbosulfan (O.2.7), fenoxycarb (O.2.8), furathiocarb        (O.2.9), methiocarb (O.2.10), methomyl (O.2.11), oxamyl        (O.2.12), pirimicarb (O.2.13), propoxur (O.2.14), thiodicarb        (O.2.15), triazamate (O.2.16);    -   pyrethroids: allethrin (O.3.1), bifenthrin (O.3.2), cyfluthrin        (O.3.3), cyhalothrin (O.3.4), cyphenothrin (O.3.5), cypermethrin        (O.3.6), alpha-cypermethrin (O.3.7), beta-cypermethrin (O.3.8),        zeta-cypermethrin (O.3.9), deltamethrin (O.3.10), esfenvalerate        (O.3.11), etofenprox (O.3.11), fenpropathrin (O.3.12),        fenvalerate (O.3.13), imiprothrin (O.3.14), lambda-cyhalothrin        (O.3.15), permethrin (O.3.16), prallethrin (O.3.17), pyrethrin I        and II (O.3.18), resmethrin (O.3.19), silafluofen (O.3.20),        taufluvalinate (O.3.21), tefluthrin (O.3.22), tetramethrin        (O.3.23), tralomethrin (O.3.24), transfluthrin (O.3.25),        profluthrin (O.3.26), dimefluthrin (O.3.27);    -   insect growth regulators: a) chitin synthesis inhibitors:        benzoylureas: chlorfluazuron (O.4.1), cyramazin (O.4.2),        diflubenzuron (O.4.3), flucycloxuron (O.4.4), flufenoxuron        (O.4.5), hexaflumuron (O.4.6), lufenuron (O.4.7), novaluron        (O.4.8), teflubenzuron (O.4.9), triflumuron (O.4.10); buprofezin        (O.4.11), diofenolan (O.4.12), hexythiazox (O.4.13), etoxazole        (O.4.14), clofentazine (O.4.15); b) ecdysone antagonists:        halofenozide (O.4.16), methoxyfenozide (O.4.17), tebufenozide        (O.4.18), azadirachtin (O.4.19); c) juvenoids: pyriproxyfen        (O.4.20), methoprene (O.4.21), fenoxycarb (O.4.22); d) lipid        biosynthesis inhibitors: spirodiclofen (O.4.23), spiromesifen        (O.4.24), spirotetramat (O.4.24);    -   nicotinic receptor agonists/antagonists compounds: clothianidin        (O.5.1), dinotefuran (O.5.2), flupyradifurone (O.5.3),        imidacloprid (O.5.4), thiamethoxam (O.5.5), nitenpyram (O.5.6),        acetamiprid (O.5.7), thiacloprid (O.5.8),        1-2-chloro-thiazol-5-ylmethyl)-2-nitrimino-3,5-dimethyl-[1,3,5]triazinane        (O.5.9);    -   GABA antagonist compounds: endosulfan (O.6.19, ethiprole        (O.6.2), fipronil (O.6.3), vaniliprole (O.6.4), pyrafluprole        (O.6.5), pyriprole (O.6.6),        5-amino-1-(2,6-dichloro-4-methyl-phenyl)-4-sulfinamoyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carbothioic        acid amide (O.6.7);    -   macrocyclic lactone insecticides: abamectin (O.7.1), emamectin        (O.7.2), milbemectin (O.7.3), lepimectin (O.7.4), spinosad        (O.7.5), spinetoram (O.7.6);    -   mitochondrial electron transport inhibitor (METI) I acaricides:        fenazaquin (O.8.1), pyridaben (O.8.2), tebufenpyrad (O.8.3),        tolfenpyrad (O.8.4), flufenerim (O.8.5);    -   METI II and III compounds: acequinocyl (O.9.1), fluacyprim        (O.9.2), hydramethylnon (O.9.3);    -   Uncouplers: chlorfenapyr (O.10.1);    -   oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors: cyhexatin (O.11.1),        diafenthiuron (O.11.2), fenbutatin oxide (O.11.3), propargite        (O.11.4);    -   moulting disruptor compounds: cryomazine (O.12.1);    -   mixed function oxidase inhibitors: piperonyl butoxide (O.13.1);    -   sodium chamel blockers: indoxacarb (O.14.1), metaflumizone        (O.14.2);    -   ryanodine receptor inhibitors: chlorantraniliprole (O.15.1),        cyantraniliprole (O.15.2), flubendiamide (O.15.3),        N-[4,6-dichloro-2-[(diethyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.4);        N-[4-chloro-2-[(diethyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-6-methyl-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.5);        N-[4-chloro-2-[(di-2-propyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-6-methyl-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.6);        N-[4,6-dichloro-2-[(di-2-propyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.7);        N-[4,6-dichloro-2-[(diethyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(difluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.8);        N-[4,6-dibromo-2-[(di-2-propyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.9);        N-[4-chloro-2-[(di-2-propyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-6-cyano-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.10);        N-[4,6-dibromo-2-[(diethyl-lambda-4-sulfanylidene)carbamoyl]-phenyl]-2-(3-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxamide        (O.15.11);    -   others: benclothiaz (O.16.1), bifenazate (O.16.2), artap        (O.16.3), flonicamid (O.16.4), pyridalyl (O.16.5), pymetrozine        (O.16.6), sulfur (O.16.7), thiocyclam (O.16.8), cyenopyrafen        (O.16.9), flupyrazofos (O.16.10), cyflumetofen (O.16.11),        amidoflumet (O.16.12), imicyafos (O.16.13), bistrifluron        (O.16.14), pyrifluquinazon (O.16.15) and        1,1′-[(3S,4R,4aR,6S,6aS,12R,12aS,12bS)-4-[[(2-cyclopropylacetyl)oxy]methyl]-1,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,12,12a,12b-decahydro-12-hydroxy-4,6a,12b-trimethyl-11-oxo-9-(3-pyridinyl)-2H,11H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyrano[3,4-e]pyran-3,6-diyl]        cyclopropaneacetic acid ester (O.16.16).

The present invention furthermore relates to agrochemical compositionscomprising a mixture of at least one strain, cell-free extract, culturemedium or extrolite of the invention (component 1) and at least onefurther active substance useful for plant protection, e. g. selectedfrom the groups A) to O) (component 2), in particular one furtherfungicide, e. g. one or more fungicide from the groups A) to K), asdescribed above, and if desired one suitable solvent or solid carrier.Those mixtures are of particular interest, since many of them at thesame application rate show higher efficiencies against harmful fungi.Furthermore, combating harmful fungi with a mixture of the strains,cell-free extracts, culture media or extrolites of the invention and atleast one fungicide from groups A) to L), as described above, is moreefficient than combating those fungi with individual strains, cell-freeextracts, culture media or extrolites of the invention or individualfungicides from groups A) to L). By applying the strains, cell-freeextracts, culture media or extrolites of the invention together with atleast one active substance from groups A) to 0) a synergistic effect canbe obtained, i.e. more then simple addition of the individual effects isobtained (synergistic mixtures).

This can be obtained by applying the strains, cell-free extracts,culture media or extrolites of the invention and at least one furtheractive substance simultaneously, either jointly (e. g. as tank-mix) orseperately, or in succession, wherein the time interval between theindividual applications is selected to ensure that the active substanceapplied first still occurs at the site of action in a sufficient amountat the time of application of the further active substance(s). The orderof application is not essential for working of the present invention.

When applying the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media orextrolites of the invention and a pesticide II sequentially the timebetween both applications may vary e.g. between 2 hours to 7 days. Alsoa broader range is possible ranging from 0.25 hour to 30 days,preferably from 0.5 hour to 14 days, particularly from 1 hour to 7 daysor from 1.5 hours to 5 days, even more preferred from 2 hours to 1 day.In case of a mixture comprising a pesticide II selected from group L),it is preferred that the pesticide II is applied as last treatment.

According to the invention, the solid material (dry matter) of thebiopesticides (with the exception of oils such as Neem oil, Tagetes oil,etc.) are considered as active components (e.g. to be obtained afterdrying or evaporation of the extraction medium or the suspension mediumin case of liquid formulations of the microbial pesticides).

In accordance with the present invention, the weight ratios andpercentages used herein for a biological extract such as Quillay extractare based on the total weight of the dry content (solid material) of therespective extract(s).

The total weight ratios of compositions comprising at least onemicrobial pesticide in the form of viable microbial cells includingdormant forms, can be determined using the amount of CFU of therespective microorganism to calclulate the total weight of therespective active component with the following equation that 1×10⁹ CFUequals one gram of total weight of the respective active component.Colony forming unit is measure of viable microbial cells, in particularfungal and bacterial cells. In addition, here “CFU” may also beunderstood as the number of (juvenile) individual nematodes in case of(entomopathogenic) nematode biopesticides, such as Steinernema feltiae.

In the binary mixtures and compositions according to the invention theweight ratio of the component 1) and the component 2) generally dependsfrom the properties of the active components used, usually it is in therange of from 1:100 to 100:1, regularly in the range of from 1:50 to50:1, preferably in the range of from 1:20 to 20:1, more preferably inthe range of from 1:10 to 10:1, even more preferably in the range offrom 1:4 to 4:1 and in particular in the range of from 1:2 to 2:1.

According to a further embodiments of the binary mixtures andcompositions, the weight ratio of the component 1) and the component 2)usually is in the range of from 1000:1 to 1:1, often in the range offrom 100:1 to 1:1, regularly in the range of from 50:1 to 1:1,preferably in the range of from 20:1 to 1:1, more preferably in therange of from 10:1 to 1:1, even more preferably in the range of from 4:1to 1:1 and in particular in the range of from 2:1 to 1:1.

According to a further embodiments of the binary mixtures andcompositions, the weight ratio of the component 1) and the component 2)usually is in the range of from 1:1 to 1:1000, often in the range offrom 1:1 to 1:100, regularly in the range of from 1:1 to 1:50,preferably in the range of from 1:1 to 1:20, more preferably in therange of from 1:1 to 1:10, even more preferably in the range of from 1:1to 1:4 and in particular in the range of from 1:1 to 1:2.

In the ternary mixtures, i.e. compositions according to the inventioncomprising the component 1) and component 2) and a compound III(component 3), the weight ratio of component 1) and component 2) dependsfrom the properties of the active substances used, usually it is in therange of from 1:100 to 100:1, regularly in the range of from 1:50 to50:1, preferably in the range of from 1:20 to 20:1, more preferably inthe range of from 1:10 to 10:1 and in particular in the range of from1:4 to 4:1, and the weight ratio of component 1) and component 3)usually it is in the range of from 1:100 to 100:1, regularly in therange of from 1:50 to 50:1, preferably in the range of from 1:20 to20:1, more preferably in the range of from 1:10 to 10:1 and inparticular in the range of from 1:4 to 4:1.

Any further active components are, if desired, added in a ratio of from20:1 to 1:20 to the component 1).

These ratios are also suitable for mixtures applied by seed treatment.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group A), which is particularlyselected from (A.1.1), (A.1.4), (A.1.8), (A.1.9), (A.1.12), (A.1.13),(A.1.14), (A.1.17), (A.1.19), (A.1.21), (A.2.1), (A.2.2), (A.3.2),(A.3.3), (A.3.4), (A.3.7), (A.3.8), (A.3.9), (A.3.12), (A.3.14),(A.3.15), (A.3.16), (A.3.19), (A.3.20), (A.3.21), (A.3.22), (A.3.23),(A.3.24), (A.3.25), (A.3.26), (A.3.27); (A.4.5), (A.4.6), (A.4.8),(A.4.9) and (A.4.11).

Preference is given to mixtures as component 2) at least one activesubstance selected from group B), which is particularly selected from(B.1.4), (B.1.5), diniconazole (B.1.6), (B.1.8), (B.1.10), (B.1.11),(B.1.12), (B.1.17), (B.1.18), (B.1.21), (B.1.22), (B.1.23), (B.1.25),(B.1.26), (B.1.27), (B.1.28), (B.1.29), uni (B.1.31), (B.1.32),(B.1.33), (B.1.34), (B.1.35), (B.1.36), (B.1.37), (B.1.38), (B.1.39),(B.1.40), (B.1.41), (B.1.42), (B.1.44), (B.1.46), (B.1.49) and (B.1.50;(B.2.2), (B.2.4), (B.2.5), (B.2.6), piperalin (B.2.7), (B.2.8); and(B.3.1).

Preference is given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at least oneactive substance selected from group C), which is particularly selectedfrom (C.1.4), C.1.5), (C.1.6), and (C.2.4).

Preference is given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at least oneactive substance selected from group D), which is particularly selectedfrom (D1.1), (D1.2), (D1.4), (D1.5); (D2.2), (D2.4), (D2.5), (D2.6) and(D2.7);

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group E), which is particularlyselected from (E.1.1), (E.1.2), and (E.1.3);

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group F), which is particularlyselected from (F.1.2), (F.1.4), (F.1.5), (F.1.6) and (F.2.1).

Preference is also given to mixtures as component 2) at least one activesubstance selected from group G), which is particularly selected from(G.3.1), (G.3.2), (G.3.3), (G.3.4), (G.3.5), (G.3.6), (G.4.1) and(G.5.1).

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group H), which is particularlyselected from (H.1.2), (H.1.3), copper oxychloride (H.1.4), (H.1.5),(H.1.6); (H.2.2), (H.2.5), (H.2.7), (H.3.2), (H.3.3), (H.3.4), (H.3.5),(H.3.6), (H.3.12); (H.4.2), (H.4.6), dithianon (H.4.9) and (H.4.10).

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group I), which is particularlyselected from (I.2.3) and (I.2.5).

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group J), which is particularlyselected from (J.1.1), (J.1.2), (J.1.3), (J.1.4), (J.1.6), (J.1.7),(J.1.8) and (J.1.9).

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as component 2) at leastone active substance selected from group K), which is particularlyselected from (K.1.4), (K.1.5), (K.1.8), (K.1.12), (K.1.14), (K.1.15),(K.1.19) and (K.1.22).

The biopesticides from group L) of pesticides II, their preparation andtheir pesticidal activity e.g. against harmful fungi or insects areknown (e-Pesticide Manual V 5.2 (ISBN 978 1 901396 85 0) (2008-2011);http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/biopesticides/, see product lists therein;http://www.omri.org/omri-lists, see lists therein; Bio-PesticidesDatabase BPDB http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/bpdb/, see A to Z linktherein).

The biopesticides from group L1) and/or L2) may also have insecticidal,acaricidal, molluscidal, pheromone, nematicidal, plant stress reducing,plant growth regulator, plant growth promoting and/or yield enhancingactivity. The biopesticides from group L3) and/or L4) may also havefungicidal, bactericidal, viricidal, plant defense activator, plantstress reducing, plant growth regulator, plant growth promoting and/oryield enhancing activity. The biopesticides from group L5) and/or L6)may also have fungicidal, bactericidal, viricidal, plant defenseactivator, insecticidal, acaricidal, molluscidal, pheromone and/ornematicidal activity.

Many of these biopesticides are registered and/or are commerciallyavailable: aluminium silicate (Screen™ Duo from Certis LLC, USA),Agrobacterium radiobacter K1026 (e.g. NoGall® from Becker Underwood PtyLtd., Australia), A. radiobacter K84 (Nature 280, 697-699, 1979; e.g.GallTroll® from AG Biochem, Inc., C, USA), Ampelomyces quisqualis M-10(e.g. AQ 10® from Intrachem Bio GmbH & Co. KG, Germany), Ascophyllumnodosum (Norwegian kelp, Brown kelp) extract or filtrate (e.g. ORKA GOLDfrom Becker Underwood, South Africa; or Goemar® from LaboratoiresGoemar, France), Aspergillus flavus NRRL 21882 isolated from a peanut inGeorgia in 1991 by the USDA, National Peanut Research Laboratory (e.g.in Afla-Guard® from Syngenta, CH), mixtures of Aureobasidium pullulansDSM14940 and DSM 14941 (e.g. blastospores in BlossomProtect® frombio-ferm GmbH, Germany), Azospirillum brasilense XOH (e.g. AZOS fromXtreme Gardening, USA or RTI Reforestation Technologies International;USA), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 (e.g. in RhizoVital® 42 fromAbiTEP GmbH, Berlin, Germany), B. amyloliquefaciens IN937a (J.Microbiol. Biotechnol. 17(2), 280-286, 2007; e.g. in BioYield® fromGustafson LLC, TX, USA), B. amylo-liquefaciens IT-45 (CNCM 1-3800) (e.g.Rhizocell C from ITHEC, France), B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarumMB1600 (NRRL B-50595, deposited at United States Department ofAgriculture) (e.g. Integral®, Subtilex® NG from Becker Underwood, USA),B. cereus CNCM 1-1562 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,690), B. firmus CNCM 1-1582(WO 2009/126473, WO 2009/124707, U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,690; Votivo® fromBayer Crop Science LP, USA), B. pumilus GB34 (ATCC 700814; e.g. inYieldShield® from Gustafson LLC, TX, USA), and Bacillus pumilus KFP9F(NRRL B-50754) (e.g. in BAC-UP or FUSION—P from Becker Underwood SouthAfrica), B. pumilus QST 2808 (NRRL B-30087) (e.g. Sonata® and Ballad®Plus from AgraQuest Inc., USA), B. subtilis GB03 (e.g. Kodiak® orBioYield® from Gustafson, Inc., USA; or Companion® from Growth Products,Ltd., White Plains, N.Y. 10603, USA), B. subtilis GB07 (Epic® fromGustafson, Inc., USA), B. subtilis QST-713 (NRRL B-21661 in Rhapsody®,Serenade® MAX and Serenade® ASO from AgraQuest Inc., USA), B. subtilisvar. amyloliquefaciens FZB24 (e.g. Taegro® from Novozyme Biologicals,Inc., USA), B. subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens D747 (e.g. Double Nickel55 from Certis LLC, USA), B. thuringiensis ssp. aizawai ABTS-1857 (e.g.in XenTari® from BioFa AG, Munsingen, Germany), B. t. ssp. aizawai SAN401 I, ABG-6305 and ABG-6346, Bacillus t. ssp. israelensis AM65-52 (e.g.in VectoBac® from Valent BioSciences, IL, USA), Bacillus thuringiensisssp. kurstaki SB4 (NRRL B-50753; e.g. Beta Pro® from Becker Underwood,South Africa), B. t. ssp. kurstaki ABTS-351 identical to HD-1 (ATCCSD-1275; e.g. in Dipel® DF from Valent BioSciences, IL, USA), B. t. ssp.kurstaki EG 2348 (e.g. in Lepinox® or Rapax® from CBC (Europe) S.r.I.,Italy), B. t. ssp. tenebrionis DSM 2803 (EP 0 585 215 B1; identical toNRRL B-15939; Mycogen Corp.), B. t. ssp. tenebrionis NB-125 (DSM 5526;EP 0 585 215 B1; also referred to as SAN 418 I or ABG-6479; formerproduction strain of Novo-Nordisk), B. t. ssp. tenebrionis NB-176 (orNB-176-1) a gamma-irridated, induced high-yielding mutant of strainNB-125 (DSM 5480; EP 585 215 B1; Novodor® from Valent BioSciences,Switzerland), Beauveria bassiana ATCC 74040 (e.g. in Naturalis® from CBC(Europe) S.r.I., Italy), B. bassiana DSM 12256 (US 200020031495; e.g.BioExpert® SC from Live Sytems Technology S. A., Colombia), B. bassianaGHA (BotaniGard® 22WGP from Laverlam Int. Corp., USA), B. bassiana PPRI5339 (ARSEF number 5339 in the USDA ARS collection of entomopathogenicfungal cultures; NRRL 50757) (e.g. BroadBand® from Becker Underwood,South Africa), B. brongniartii (e.g. in Melocont® from Agrifutur,Agrianello, Italy, for control of cockchafer; J. Appl. Microbiol.100(5),1063-72, 2006), Bradyrhizobium sp. (e.g. Vault® from BeckerUnderwood, USA), B. japonicum (e.g. VAULT® from Becker Underwood, USA),Candida oleophila 1-182 (NRRL Y-18846; e.g. Aspire® from Ecogen Inc.,USA, Phytoparasitica 23(3), 231-234, 1995), C. oleophila strain 0 (NRRLY-2317; Biological Control 51, 403-408, 2009), Candida saitoana (e.g.Biocure® (in mixture with lysozyme) and BioCoat® from Micro Flo Company,USA (BASF SE) and Arysta), Chitosan (e.g. Armour-Zen® from BotriZenLtd., NZ), Clonostachys rosea f. catenulata, also named Gliocladiumcatenulatum (e.g. isolate J 1446: Prestop® from Verdera Oy, Finland),Chromobacterium subtsugae PRAA4-1 isolated from soil under an easternhemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in the Catoctin Mountain region of centralMaryland (e.g. in GRANDEVO from Marrone Bio Imovations, USA),Coniothyrium minitans CON/M/91-08 (e.g. Contans® WG from Prophyta,Germany), Cryphonectria parasitica (e.g. Endothia parasitica from CNICM,France), Cryptococcus albidus (e.g. YIELD PLUS® from AnchorBio-Technologies, South Africa), Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus(CrleGV) (e.g. in CRYPTEX from Adermatt Biocontrol, Switzerland), Cydiapomonella granulovirus (CpGV) V03 (DSM GV-0006; e.g. in MADEX Max fromAndermatt Biocontrol, Switzerland), CpGV V22 (DSM GV-0014; e.g. in MADEXTwin from Adermatt Biocontrol, Switzerland), Delftia acidovorans RAY209(ATCC PTA-4249; WO 2003/57861; e.g. in BIOBOOST from Brett Young,Winnipeg, Canada), Dilophosphora alopecuri (Twist Fungus from BeckerUnderwood, Australia), Ecklonia maxima (kelp) extract (e.g. KELPAK SLfrom Kelp Products Ltd, South Africa), formononetin (e.g. in MYCONATEfrom Plant Health Care plc, U.K.), Fusarium oxysporum (e.g. BIOFOX® fromS.I.A.P.A., Italy, FUSACLEAN® from Natural Plant Protection, France),Glomus intraradices (e.g. MYC 4000 from ITHEC, France), Glomusintraradices RTI-801 (e.g. MYKOS from Xtreme Gardening, USA or RTIReforestation Technologies International; USA), grapefruit seeds andpulp extract (e.g. BC-1000 from Chemie S. A., Chile), harpin(alpha-beta) protein (e.g. MESSENGER or HARP-N-Tek from Plant HealthCare plc, U.K.; Science 257, 1-132, 1992), Heterorhabditis bacteriophaga(e.g. Nemasys® G from Becker Underwood Ltd., UK), Isaria fumosoroseaApopka-97 (ATCC 20874) (PFR-97™ from Certis LLC, USA), cis-jasmone (U.S.Pat. No. 8,221,736), laminarin (e.g. in VACCIPLANT from LaboratoiresGoemar, St. Malo, France or Stähler SA, Switzerland), Lecanicilliumlongisporum KV42 and KV71 (e.g. VERTALEC® from Koppert BV, Netherlands),L. muscarium KV01 (formerly Verticillium lecanii) (e.g. MYCOTAL fromKoppert BV, Netherlands), Lysobacter antibioticus 13-1 (BiologicalControl 45, 288-296, 2008), L. antibioticus HS124 (Curr. Microbiol.59(6), 608-615, 2009), L. enzymogenes 3.1T8 (Microbiol. Res. 158,107-115; Biological Control 31(2), 145-154, 2004), Metarhiziumanisopliae var. acridum IMI 330189 (isolated from Ornithacris cavroisiin Niger; also NRRL 50758) (e.g. GREEN MUSCLE® from Becker Underwood,South Africa), M. a. var. acridum FI-985 (e.g. GREEN GUARD® SC fromBecker Underwood Pty Ltd, Australia), M. anisopliae FI-1045 (e.g.BIOCANE® from Becker Underwood Pty Ltd, Australia), M. anisopliae F52(DSM 3884, ATCC 90448; e.g. MET52® Novozymes Biologicals BioAg Group,Canada), M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 (e.g. METATHRIPOL from ICIPE, Nairobe,Kenya), Metschnikowia fructicola (NRRL Y-30752; e.g. SHEMER® fromAgrogreen, Israel, now distributed by Bayer CropSciences, Germany; U.S.Pat. No. 6,994,849), Microdochium dimerum (e.g. ANTI-BOT® fromAgrauxine, France), Microsphaeropsis ochracea P130A (ATCC 74412 isolatedfrom apple leaves from an abandoned orchard, St-Joseph-du-Lac, Quebec,Canada in 1993; Mycologia 94(2), 297-301, 2002), Muscodor albus QST20799 originally isolated from the bark of a cinnamon tree in Honduras(e.g. in development products Muscudor™ or QRD300 from AgraQuest, USA),Neem oil (e.g. TRILOGY®, TRIACT® 70 EC from Certis LLC, USA), Nomuraearileyi strains SA86101, GU87401, SR86151, CG128 and VA9101, Paecilomycesfumosoroseus FE 9901 (e.g. NO FLY™ from Natural Industries, Inc., USA),P. lilacinus 251 (e.g. in BioAct®/MeloCon® from Prophyta, Germany; CropProtection 27, 352-361, 2008; originally isolated from infected nematodeeggs in the Philippines), P. lilacinus DSM 15169 (e.g. NEMATA® SC fromLive Systems Technology S. A., Colombia), P. lilacinus BCP2 (NRRL 50756;e.g. PL GOLD from Becker Underwood BioAg SA Ltd, South Africa), mixtureof Paenibacillus alvei NAS6G6 (NRRL B-50755), Pantoea vagans (formerlyagglomerans) C9-1 (originally isolated in 1994 from apple stem tissue;BlightBan C9-1® from NuFrams America Inc., USA, for control of fireblight in apple; J. Bacteriol. 192(24) 6486-6487, 2010), Pasteuria spp.ATCC PTA-9643 (WO 2010/085795), Pasteuria spp. ATCC SD-5832 (WO2012/064527), P. nishizawae (WO 2010/80169), P. penetrans (U.S. Pat. No.5,248,500), P. ramose (WO 2010/80619), P. thornea (WO 2010/80169), P.usgae (WO 2010/80169), Penicillium bilaiae (e.g. Jump Start® fromNovozymes Biologicals BioAg Group, Canada, originally isolated from soilin southern Alberta; Fertilizer Res. 39, 97-103, 1994), Phlebiopsisgigantea (e.g. RotStop® from Verdera Oy, Finland), Pichia anomalaWRL-076 (NRRL Y-30842; U.S. Pat. No. 8,206,972), potassium bicarbonate(e.g. Amicarb® from Stähler SA, Switzerland), potassium silicate (e.g.Sil-MATRIX™ from Certis LLC, USA), Pseudozyma flocculosa PF-A22 UL (e.g.Sporodex® from Plant Products Co. Ltd., Canada), Pseudomonas sp. DSM13134 (WO 2001/40441, e.g. in PRORADIX from Sourcon Padena GmbH & Co.KG, Hechinger Str. 262, 72072 Tubingen, Germany), P. chloraphis MA 342(e.g. in CERALL or CEDEMON from BioAgri AB, Uppsala, Sweden), P.fluorescens CL 145A (e.g. in ZEQUANOX from Marrone Biolmovations, Davis,Calif., USA; J. Invertebr. Pathol. 113(1):104-14, 2013), Pythiumoligandrum DV 74 (ATCC 38472; e.g. POLYVERSUM® from Remeslo SSRO,Biopreparaty, Czech Rep. and GOWAN, USA; US 2013/0035230), Reynoutriasachlinensis extract (e.g. REGALIA® SC from Marrone Biolmovations,Davis, Calif., USA), Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseolii (e.g.RHIZO-STICK from Becker Underwood, USA), R. I. trifolii RP113-7 (e.g.DORMAL from Becker Underwood, USA; Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 44(5),1096-1101), R. I. bv. viciae P1NP3Cst (also referred to as 1435; NewPhytol 179(1), 224-235, 2008; e.g. in NODULATOR PL Peat Granule fromBecker Underwood, USA; or in NODULATOR XL PL bfrom Becker Underwood,Canada), R. I. bv. viciae SU303 (e.g. NODULAID Group E from BeckerUnderwood, Australia), R. I. bv. viciae WSM1455 (e.g. NODULAID Group Ffrom Becker Underwood, Australia), R. tropici SEMIA 4080 (identical toPRF 81; Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39, 867-876, 2007), Sinorhizobiummeliloti MSDJ0848 (INRA, France) also referred to as strain 2011 orRCR2011 (Mol Gen Genomics (2004) 272: 1-17; e.g. DORMAL ALFALFA fromBecker Underwood, USA; NITRAGIN® Gold from Novozymes Biologicals BioAgGroup, Canada), Sphaerodes mycoparasitica IDAC 301008-01 (WO2011/022809), Steinernema carpocapsae (e.g. MILLENIUM® from BeckerUnderwood Ltd., UK), S. feltiae (NEMASHIELD® from BioWorks, Inc., USA;NEMASYS® from Becker Underwood Ltd., UK), S. kraussei L137 (NEMASYS® Lfrom Becker Underwood Ltd., UK), Streptomyces griseoviridis K61 (e.g.MYCOSTOP® from Verdera Oy, Espoo, Finland; Crop Protection 25, 468-475,2006), S. lydicus WYEC 108 (e.g. Actinovate® from Natural Industries,Inc., USA, U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,584), S. violaceusniger YCED-9 (e.g.DT-9® from Natural Industries, Inc., USA, U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,503),Talaromyces flavus V117b (e.g. PROTUS® from Prophyta, Germany),Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1 (e.g. ECO-HOPE® from Kumiai ChemicalIndustry Co., Ltd., Japan), T. asperellum ICC 012 (e.g. in TENET WP,REMDIER WP, BIOTEN WP from Isagro NC, USA, BIO-TAM from AgraQuest, USA),T. atroviride LC52 (e.g. SENTINEL® from Agrimm Technologies Ltd, NZ), T.atroviride CNCM 1-1237 (e.g. in Esquive WG from Agrauxine S. A., France,e.g. against pruning wound diseases on vine and plant root pathogens),T. fertile JM41R (NRRL 50759; e.g. RICHPLUS™ from Becker Underwood BioAg SA Ltd, South Africa), T. gamsii ICC 080 (e.g. in TENET WP, REMDIERWP, BIOTEN WP from Isagro NC, USA, BIO-TAM from AgraQuest, USA), T.harzianum T-22 (e.g. PLANTSHIELD® der Firma BioWorks Inc., USA), T.harzianum TH 35 (e.g. ROOT PRO® from Mycontrol Ltd., Israel), T.harzianum T-39 (e.g. TRICHODEX® and TRICHODERMA 2000® from MycontrolLtd., Israel and Makhteshim Ltd., Israel), T. harzianum and T. viride(e.g. TRICHOPEL from Agrimm Technologies Ltd, NZ), T. harzianum ICC012and T. viride ICC080 (e.g. REMEDIER® WP from Isagro Ricerca, Italy), T.polysporum and T. harzianum (e.g. BINAB® from BINAB Bio-Imovation AB,Sweden), T. stromaticum (e.g. TRICOVAB® from C.E.P.L.A.C., Brazil), T.virens GL-21 (also named Gliocladium virens) (e.g. SOILGARD® from CertisLLC, USA), T. viride (e.g. TRIECO® from Ecosense Labs. (India) Pvt.Ltd., Indien, BIO-CURE® F from T. Stanes & Co. Ltd., Indien), T. virideTV1 (e.g. T. viride TV1 from Agribiotec srl, Italy) and Ulocladiumoudemansii HRU3 (e.g. in BOTRY-ZEN® from Botry-Zen Ltd, NZ).

Strains can be sourced from genetic resource and deposition centers:American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va.20110-2209, USA (strains with ATCC prefic); CABI Europe—InternationalMycological Institute, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9TYNRRL, UK(strains with prefices CABI and IMI); Centraalbureau voorSchimmelcultures, Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalaan 8, PO Box 85167,3508 AD Utrecht, Netherlands (strains with prefic CBS); Division ofPlant Industry, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia (strains with prefix CC);Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microorganismes, Institut Pasteur,25 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 PARIS Cedex 15 (strains with prefixCNCM); Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen andZellkulturen GmbH, Inhoffenstraße 7 B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany(strains with prefix DSM); International Depositary Authority of CanadaCollection, Canada (strains with prefix IDAC); Interntional Collectionof Micro-orgniasms from Plants, Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170,Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand (strans with prefixICMP); IITA, PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria (straisn with prefix IITA); TheNational Collections of Industrial and Marine Bacteria Ltd., TorryResearch Station, P.O. Box 31, 135 Abbey Road, Aberdeen, AB9 8DG,Scotland (strains with prefix NCIMB); ARS Culture Collection of theNational Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, AgriculturalResearch Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 North UniversityStreet, Peoria, Ill. 61604, USA (strains with prefix NRRL); Departmentof Scientific and Industrial Research Culture Collection, AppliedBiochemistry Division, Palmerston North, New Zealand (strains withprefix NZP); FEP-AGRO-Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária, RuaGonçalves Dias, 570, Bairro Menino Deus, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil(strains with prefix SEMIA); SARDI, Adelaide, South Australia (strainswith prefix SRDI); U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural ResearchService, Soybean and Alfalfa Research Laboratory, BARC-West, 10300Baltimore Boulevard, Building 011, Room 19-9, Beltsville, Md. 20705, USA(strains with prefix USDA: Beltsville Rhizobium Culture CollectionCatalog March 1987 USDA-ARS ARS-30:http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAW891.pdf); and Murdoch University,Perth, Western Australia (strains with prefix WSM). Further strains maybe found at the Global catalogue of Microorganisms:http://gcm.wfcc.info/andhttp://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/resources/collections/icmp and furtherreferences to strain collections and their prefixes athttp://refs.wdcm.org/collections.htm.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum MBI600 (NRRL B-50595) isdeposited under accession number NRRL B-50595 with the straindesignation Bacillus subtilis 1430 (and identical to NCIMB 1237).Recently, MBI 600 has been re-classified as Bacillus amyloliquefacienssubsp. plantarum based on polyphasic testing which combines classicalmicrobiological methods relying on a mixture of traditional tools (suchas culture-based methods) and molecular tools (such as genotyping andfatty acids analysis). Thus, Bacillus subtilis MBI600 (or MBI 600 orMBI-600) is identical to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarumMBI600, formerly Bacillus subtilis M B1600. Bacillus amylo-liquefaciensMBI600 is known as plant growth-promoting rice seed treatment from Int.J. Microbiol. Res. 3(2) (2011), 120-130 and further described e.g. in US2012/0149571 A1. This strain MBI600 is e.g. commercially available asliquid formulation product INTEGRAL® (Becker-Underwood Inc., USA).

Bacillus subtilis strain FB17 was originally isolated from red beetroots in North America (System Appl. Microbiol 27 (2004) 372-379). ThisB. subtilis strain promotes plant health (US 2010/0260735 A1; WO2011/109395 A2). B. subtilis FB17 has also been deposited at ATCC undernumber PTA-11857 on Apr. 26, 2011. Bacillus subtilis strain FB17 may bereferred elsewhere to as UD1022 or UD10-22.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AP-136 (NRRL B-50614), B. amyloliquefaciensAP-188 (NRRL B-50615), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-218 (NRRL B-50618), B.amyloliquefaciens AP-219 (NRRL B-50619), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-295(NRRL B-50620), B. japonicum SEMIA 5079 (e.g. Gelfix 5 or Adhere 60 fromNitral Urbana Laoboratories, Brazil, a BASF Company), B. japonicum SEMIA5080 (e.g. GELFIX 5 or ADHERE 60 from Nitral Urbana Laoboratories,Brazil, a BASF Company), B. mojavensis AP-209 (NRRL B-50616), B.solisalsi AP-217 (NRRL B-50617), B. pumilus strain INR-7 (otherwisereferred to as BU-F22 (NRRL B-50153) and BU-F33 (NRRL B-50185)), B.simplex ABU 288 (NRRL B-50340) and B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarumMBI600 (NRRL B-50595) have been mentioned i.a. in US patent appl.20120149571, U.S. Pat. No. 8,445,255, WO 2012/079073. Bradyrhizobiumjaponicum USDA 3 is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,151.

Jasmonic acid or salts (jasmonates) or derivatives include withoutlimitation potassium jasmonate, sodium jasmonate, lithium jasmonate,ammonium jasmonate, dimethylammonium jasmonate, isopropylammoniumjasmonate, diolammonium jasmonate, diethtriethanolammonium jasmonate,jasmonic acid methyl ester, jasmonic acid amide, jasmonic acidmethylamide, jasmonic acid-L-amino acid (amide-linked) conjugates (e.g.,conjugates with L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-leucine, or L-phenylalanine),12-oxophytodienoic acid, coronatine, coronafacoyl-L-serine,coronafacoyl-L-threonine, methyl esters of 1-oxo-indanoyl-isoleucine,methyl esters of 1-oxo-indanoyl-leucine, coronalon(2-[(6-ethyl-1-oxo-indane-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-methyl-pentanoic acidmethyl ester), linoleic acid or derivatives thereof and cis-jasmone, orcombinations of any of the above.

Humates are humic and fulvic acids extracted from a form of lignite coaland clay, known as leonardite. Humic acids are organic acids that occurin humus and other organically derived materials such as peat andcertain soft coal. They have been shown to increase fertilizerefficiency in phosphate and micro-nutrient uptake by plants as well asaiding in the development of plant root systems.

According to one embodiment of the mixtures of the invention, the atleast one pesticide II is selected from the groups L1) to L6):

-   -   L1) Microbial pesticides with fungicidal, bactericidal,        viricidal and/or plant defense activator activity: Ampelomyces        quisqualis M-10 (L.1.1), Aspergillus flavus NRRL 21882 (L1.2),        Aureobasidium pullulans DSM 14940 (L1.3), A. pullulans DSM 14941        (L.1.4), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AP-136 (NRRL B-50614)        (L.1.5), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-188 (NRRL B-50615) (L.1.6), B.        amyloliquefaciens AP-218 (NRRL B-50618) (L.1.7), B.        amyloliquefaciens AP-219 (NRRL B-50619) (L.1.8), B.        amyloliquefaciens AP-295 (NRRL B-50620) (L.1.9), B.        amyloliquefaciens FZB42 (L.1.10), B. amyloliquefaciens IN937a        (L.1.11), B. amyloliquefaciens IT-45 (CNCM 1-3800) (L.1.12), B.        amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum MBI600 (NRRL B-50595)        (L.1.13), B. mojavensis AP-209 (NRRL B-50616) (L.1.15), B.        pumilus INR-7 (otherwise referred to as BU-F22 (NRRL B-50153)        and BU-F33 (NRRL B-50185)) (L.1.14), B. pumilus KFP9F        (L.1.15), B. pumilus QST 2808 (NRRL B-30087) (L.1.16), B.        pumilus GHA 181 (L.1.17), B. simplex ABU 288 (NRRL B-50340)        (L.1.18), B. solisalsi AP-217 (NRRL B-50617) (L.1.19), B.        subtilis CX-9060 (L.1.20), B. subtilis GB03 (L.1.21), B.        subtilis GB07 (L.1.22), B. subtilis QST-713 (NRRL B-21661)        (L.1.23), B. subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens FZB24 (L.1.24), B.        subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens D747 (L.1.25), Candida oleophila        1-82 (L.1.26), C. oleophila 0 (L.1.27), C. saitoana (L.1.28),        Clavibacter michiganensis (bacteriophages) (L.1.29),        Coniothyrium minitans CON/M/91-08 (L.1.30), Cryphonectria        parasitica (L.1.31), Cryptococcus albidus (L.1.32),        Dilophosphora alopecuri (L.1.33), Fusarium oxysporum (L.1.34),        Clonostachys rosea f. catenulata J1446 (also named Gliocladium        catenulatum) (L.1.35), Gliocladium roseum 321U (L.1.36),        Metschnikowia fructicola NRRL Y-30752 (L.1.37), Microdochium        dimerum (L.1.38), Microsphaeropsis ochracea P130A (L.1.39),        Muscodor albus QST 20799 (L.1.40), Paenibacillus polymyxa PKB1        (ATCC 202127) (L.1.41), Pantoea vagans C9-1 (L.1.42),        Phlebiopsis gigantea (L.1.43), Pichia anomala WRL-76 (L.1.44),        Pseudozyma flocculosa PF-A22 UL (L.1.45), Pythium oligandrum DV        74 (L.1.46), Sphaerodes mycoparasitica IDAC 301008-01 (L.1.47),        Streptomyces griseoviridis K61 (L.1.48), S. lydicus WYEC 108        (L.1.49), S. violaceusniger XL-2 (L.1.50), S. violaceusniger        YCED-9 (L.1.51), Talaromyces flavus V117b (L.1.52), Trichoderma        asperellum T34 (L.1.53), T. asperellum SKT-1 (L.1.54), T.        asperellum ICC 012 (L.1.55), T. atroviride LC52 (L.1.56), T.        atroviride CNCM 1-1237 (L.1.57), T. fertile JM41R (L.1.58), T.        gamsii ICC 080 (L.1.59), T. harmatum TH 382 (L.1.60), T.        harzianum TH-35 (L.1.61), T. harzianum T-22 (L.1.62), T.        harzianum T-39 (L.1.63); mixture of T. harzianum ICC012 and T.        viride ICC080 (L.1.64); mixture of T. polysporum and T.        harzianum (L.1.65); T. stromaticum (L.1.66), T. virens (also        named Gliocladium virens) GL-21 (L.1.67), T. virens G41        (L.1.68), T. viride TV1 (L.1.69), Typhula phacorrhiza 94671        (L.1.70), Ulocladium oudemansii HRU3 (L.1.71), Verticillium        dahlia (L.1.72), zucchini yellow mosaic virus (avirulent strain)        (L.1.73);    -   L2) Biochemical pesticides with fungicidal, bactericidal,        viricidal and/or plant defense activator activity: chitosan        (hydrolysate) (L.2.1), harpin protein (L.2.2), laminarin        (L.2.3), Menhaden fish oil (L.2.4), natamycin (L.2.5), Plum pox        virus coat protein (L.2.6), potassium bicarbonate (L.2.7),        Reynoutria sachlinensis extract (L.2.8), salicylic acid (L.2.9),        potassium or sodium bicarbonate (L.2.10), tea tree oil (L.2.11);    -   L3) Microbial pesticides with insecticidal, acaricidal,        molluscidal and/or nematicidal activity: Agrobacterium        radiobacter K1026 (L.3.1), A. radiobacter K84 (L.3.2), Bacillus        firmus 1-1582 (L.3.3); B. thuringiensis ssp. aizawai strains        ABTS-1857 (L.3.4), SAN 401 I (L.3.5), ABG-6305 (L.3.6) and        ABG-6346 (L.3.7); B. t. ssp. israelensis AM65-52 (L.3.8), B. t.        ssp. israelensis SUM-6218 (L.3.9), B. t. ssp. galleriae SDS-502        (L.3.10), B. t. ssp. kurstaki EG 2348 (L.3.11), B. t. ssp.        kurstaki SB4 (L.3.12), B. t. ssp. kurstaki ABTS-351 (HD-1)        (L.3.13), Beauveria bassiana ATCC 74040 (L.3.14), B. bassiana        GHA (L.3.15), B. bassiana H123 (L.3.16), B. bassiana DSM 12256        (L.3.17), B. bassiana PPRI 5339 (L.3.18), B. brongniartii        (L.3.19), Burkholderia sp. A396 (L.3.20), Chromobacterium        subtsugae PRAA4-1 (L.3.21), Cydia pomonella granulosis virus V22        (L.3.22), Cydia pomonella granulosis virus V1 (L.3.23), Isaria        fumosorosea Apopka-97 (L.3.24), Lecanicillium longisporum KV42        (L.3.25), L. longisporum KV71 (L.3.26), L. muscarium (formerly        Verticillium lecanii) KV01 (L.3.27), Metarhizium anisopliae        FI-985 (L.3.28), M. anisopliae FI-1045 (L.3.29), M. anisopliae        F52 (L.3.30), M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 (L.3.31), M. anisopliae        var. acridum IMI 330189 (L.3.32); Nomuraea rileyi strains        SA86101 (L.3.33), GU87401 (L.3.34), SR86151 (L.3.35), CG128        (L.3.36) and VA9101 (L.3.37); Paecilomyces fumosoroseus FE 9901        (L.3.38), P. lilacinus 251 (L.3.39), P. lilacinus DSM 15169        (L.3.40), P. lilacinus BCP2 (L.3.41), Paenibacillus popilliae        Dutky-1940 (NRRL B-2309=ATCC 14706) (L.3.42), P. popilliae KLN        3, P. popilliae Dutky 1 (L.3.43), Pasteuria spp. Ph3 (L.3.44),        Pasteuria spp. ATCC PTA-9643 (L.3.45), Pasteuria spp. ATCC        SD-5832 (L.3.46), P. nishizawae PN-1 (L.3.46), P. penetrans        (L.3.47), P. ramose (L.3.48), P. reneformis Pr-3 (L.3.49), P.        thornea (L.3.50), P. usgae (L.3.51), Pseudomonas fluorescens CL        145A (L.3.52), Steinernema carpocapsae (L.3.53), S. feltiae        (L.3.54), S. kraussei L137 (L.3.55);    -   L4) Biochemical pesticides with insecticidal, acaricidal,        molluscidal, pheromone and/or nematicidal activity: L-carvone        (L.4.1), citral (L.4.2), (E,Z)-7,9-dodecadien-1-yl acetate        (L.4.3), ethyl formate (L.4.4), (E,Z)-2,4-ethyl decadienoate        (pear ester) (L.4.5), (Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal (L.4.6),        heptyl butyrate (L.4.7), isopropyl myristate (L.4.8),        cis-jasmone (L.4.9), lavanulyl senecioate (L.4.10), 2-methyl        1-butanol (L.4.11), methyl eugenol (L.4.12), methyl jasmonate        (L.4.13), (E,Z)-2,13-octadecadien-1-ol (L.4.14),        (E,Z)-2,13-octadecadien-1-ol acetate (L.4.15),        (E,Z)-3,13-octadecadien-1-ol (L.4.16), R-1-octen-3-ol (L.4.17),        pentatermanone (L.4.18), potassium silicate (L.4.19), sorbitol        actanoate (L.4.20), (E,Z,Z)-3,8,11-tetradecatrienyl acetate        (L.4.21), (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ylacetate (L.4.22),        Z-7-tetradecen-2-one (L.4.23), Z-9-tetradecen-1-ylacetate        (L.4.24), Z-11-tetradecenal (L.4.25), Z-11-tetradecen-1-ol        (L.4.26), Acacia negra extract (L.4.27), extract of grapefruit        seeds and pulp (L.4.28), extract of Chenopodium ambrosiodae        (L.4.29), Catnip oil (L.4.30), Neem oil (L.4.31), Quillay        extract (L.4.32), Tagetes oil (L.4.33);    -   L5) Microbial pesticides with plant stress reducing, plant        growth regulator, plant growth promoting and/or yield enhancing        activity: Azospirillum amazonense BR 11140 (SpY2T) (L.5.1), A.        brasilense AZ39 (L.5.2), A. brasilense XOH (L.5.3), A.        brasilense BR 11005 (Sp245) (L.5.4), A. brasilense BR 11002        (L.5.5), A. lipoferum BR 11646 (Sp31) (L.5.6), A. irakense        (L.5.7), A. halopraeferens (L.5.8), Bradyrhizobium sp. PNLO1        (L.5.9), B. sp. (Arachis) CB1015 (L.5.10), B. sp. (Arachis) USDA        3446 (L.5.11), B. sp. (Arachis) SEMIA 6144 (L.5.12), B. sp.        (Arachis) SEMIA 6462 (L.5.13), B. sp. (Arachis) SEMIA 6464        (L.5.14), B. sp. (Vigna) (L.5.15), B. elkanii SEMIA 587        (L.5.16), B. elkanii SEMIA 5019 (L.5.17), B. elkanii U-1301        (L.5.18), B. elkanii U-1302 (L.5.19), B. elkanii USDA 74        (L.5.20), B. elkanii USDA 76 (L.5.21), B. elkanii USDA 94        (L.5.22), B. elkanii USDA 3254 (L.5.23), B. japonicum 532c        (L.5.24), B. japonicum CPAC 15 (L.5.25), B. japonicum E-109        (L.5.26), B. japonicum G49 (L.5.27), B. japonicum TA-11        (L.5.28), B. japonicum USDA 3 (L.5.29), B. japonicum USDA 31        (L.5.30), B. japonicum USDA 76 (L.5.31), B. japonicum USDA 110        (L.5.32), B. japonicum USDA 121 (L.5.33), B. japonicum USDA 123        (L.5.34), B. japonicum USDA 136 (L.5.35), B. japonicum SEMIA 566        (L.5.36), B. japonicum SEMIA 5079 (L.5.37), B. japonicum SEMIA        5080 (L.5.38), B. japonicum WB74 (L.5.39), B. liaoningense        (L.5.40), B. lupini LL13 (L.5.41), B. lupini WU425 (L.5.42), B.        lupini WSM471 (L.5.43), B. lupini WSM4024 (L.5.44), Glomus        intraradices RTI-801 (L.5.45), Mesorhizobium sp. WSM1271        (L.5.46), M. sp. WSM1497 (L.5.47), M. ciceri CC1192 (L.5.48), M.        huakii (L.5.49), M. loti CC829 (L.5.50), M. loti SU343 (L.5.51),        Paenibacillus alvei NAS6G6 (L.5.52), Penicillium bilaiae        (L.5.53), Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseolii (L.5.54), R. I.        trifolii RP113-7 (L.5.55), R. I. bv. viciae SU303        (L.5.56), R. I. bv. viciae WSM1455 (L.5.57), R. I. bv. viciae        P1NP3Cst (L.5.58) R. tropici SEMIA 4088 (L.5.59), Sinorhizobium        meliloti MSDJ0848 (L.5.60);    -   L6) Biochemical pesticides with plant stress reducing, plant        growth regulator and/or plant yield enhancing activity: abscisic        acid (L.6.1), aluminium silicate (kaolin) (L.6.2), 3-decen-2-one        (L.6.3), formononectin (L.6.4), genistein (L.6.5), hesperetin        (L.6.6), homobrassinlide (L.6.7), humates (L.6.8), methyl        jasmonate (L.6.9), cis-jasmone (L.6.10), lysophosphatidyl        ethanlamine (L.6.11), naringenin (L.6.12), polymeric polyhydroxy        acid (L.6.13), salicylic acid (L.6.14), Ascophyllum nodosum        (Norwegian kelp, Brown kelp) extract (L.6.15) and Ecklonia        maxima (kelp) extract (L.6.16).

The present invention furthermore relates to agrochemical compositionscomprising a mixture of the strains, cell-free extracts, culture mediaor extrolites of the invention (component 1) and at least onebiopesticide selected from the group L) (component 2), in particular atleast one further fungicidal biopesticide selected from the groups L1)and L2), as described above, and if desired at least one suitableauxiliary.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II(component 2) a biopesticide from group L1), preferably selected fromBacillus amyloliquefaciens AP-136 (NRRL B-50614 and B-50330), B.amyloliquefaciens AP-188 (NRRL B-50615 and B-50331), B.amyloliquefaciens AP-218 (NRRL B-50618), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-219(NRRL B-50619 and B-50332), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-295 (NRRL B-50620and B-50333), B. amyloliquefaciens IT-45 (CNCM 1-3800), B.amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum MBI600 (NRRL B-50595), B. mojavensisAP-209 (NRRL B-50616), B. pumilus INR-7 (otherwise referred to as BU-F22(NRRL B-50153) and BU-F33 (NRRL B-50185)), B. pumilus KFP9F, B. pumilusQST 2808 (NRRL B-30087), B. pumilus GHA 181, B. simplex ABU 288 (NRRLB-50340), B. solisalsi AP-217 (NRRL B-50617), B. subtilis CX-9060, B.subtilis GB03, B. subtilis GB07, B. subtilis QST-713 (NRRL B-21661), B.subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens FZB24, B. subtilis var.amyloliquefaciens D747, Paenibacillus alvei NAS6G6, Paenibacilluspolymyxa PKB1 (ATCC 202127), Sphaerodes mycoparasitica IDAC 301008-01and Trichoderma fertile JM41R, even more preferably from Bacillusamyloliquefaciens AP-136 (NRRL B-50614), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-188(NRRL B-50615), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-218 (NRRL B-50618), B.amyloliquefaciens AP-219 (NRRL B-50619), B. amyloliquefaciens AP-295(NRRL B-50620), B. amyloliquefaciens IT-45 (CNCM 1-3800), B. mojavensisAP-209 (NRRL B-50616), B. pumilus INR-7 (otherwise referred to as BU-F22(NRRL B-50153) and BU-F33 (NRRL B-50185)), B. pumilus QST 2808 (NRRLB-30087), B. simplex ABU 288 (NRRL B-50340), B. subtilis QST-713 (NRRLB-21661), B. subtilis MBI600 (NRRL B-50595), Paenibacillus alvei NAS6G6,Sphaerodes mycoparasitica IDAC 301008-01 and Trichoderma fertile JM41R.

According to one embodiment of the mixtures of the invention, the atleast one pesticide II is Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarumMBI600. These mixtures are particularly suitable in soybean.

According to another embodiment of the mixtures of the invention, the atleast one pesticide II is B. pumilus strain INR-7. These mixtures areparticularly suitable in soybean and corn.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isBacillus simplex, preferably B. simplex strain ABU 288. These mixturesare particularly suitable in soybean and corn.

According to one embodiment of the mixtures of the invention, the atleast one pesticide II is selected from Bacillus amyloliquefaciensAP-136, B. amyloliquefaciens AP-188, B. amyloliquefaciens AP-218, B.amyloliquefaciens AP-219, B. amyloliquefaciens AP-295, B.amyloliquefaciens FZB42, B. amyloliquefaciens IN937a, B.amyloliquefaciens IT-45, B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum MBI600,B. mojavensis AP-209, B. pumilus GB34, B. pumilus INR-7, B. pumilusKFP9F, B. pumilus QST 2808, B. pumilus GHA 181, B. simplex ABU 288, B.solisalsi AP-217, B. subtilis CX-9060, B. subtilis GB03, B. subtilisGB07, B. subtilis QST-713, B. subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens FZB24 andB. subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens D747. These mixtures are particularlysuitable in soybean and corn, in particular for seed treatment.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Streptomyces spp. Preferably from S. griseoviridis, S.lydicus and S. violaceusniger, in particular from strains S.griseoviridis K61, S. lydicus WYEC 108, S. violaceusniger XL-2 and S.violaceusniger YCED-9.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isSphaerodes mycoparasitica, preferably Sphaerodes mycoparasitica strainIDAC 301008-01 (also referred to as strain SMCD2220-01). These mixturesare particularly suitable in soybean, cereals and corn, in particularcorn especially to combat Fusarium head blight.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from the following yeasts and fungi:Ampelomyces quisqualis, in particular strain AQ 10, Aureobasidiumpullulans, in particular blastospores of strain DSM14940 or blastosporesof strain DSM 14941 or mixtures thereof; Candida oleophila, inparticular strains I-182 and O, Coniothyrium minitans, in particularstrain CON/M/91-8; Dilophosphora alopecuri which reduces annual ryegrasstoxicity (ARGT), a disease of livestock resulting from the ingestion ofannual ryegrass seed-heads that have been infected by the toxinproducing bacterium Rathayibacter toxicus; Gliocladium catenulatum, inparticular strain J 1446; Metschnikovia fructicola, in particular strainNRRL Y-30752, Microsphaeropsis ochracea, in particular strain P130A forcontrol of apple scab; (2.13) Muscodor albus, in particular strain QST20799, Pichia anomala, in particular strain WRL-076, Pseudozymaflocculosa, in particular strain PF-A22 UL; Pythium oligandrum, inparticular strain DV74;

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from the fungal genus Trichoderma, preferablyfrom the strains Trichoderma asperellum T34, T. asperellum SKT-1, T.asperellum ICC 012, T. atroviride LC52, T. atroviride CNCM 1-1237, T.fertile JM41R, T. gamsii ICC 080, T. harmatum TH 382, T. harzianumTH-35, T. harzianum T-22, T. harzianum T-39; mixture of T. harzianumICC012 and T. viride ICC080; mixture of T. polysporum and T. harzianum;T. stromaticum, T. virens GL-21, T. virens G41 and T. viride TV1; inparticular T. fertile JM41R.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from the fungal genus Ulocladium, in particularU. oudemansii HRU3.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II(component 2) a biopesticide from group L2), preferably selected fromchitosan (hydrolysate), methyl-jasmonate, cis-jasmone, laminarin,Reynoutria sachlinensis extract and tea tree oil; even more preferablefrom methyl jasmonate and laminarin.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II(component 2) a biopesticide from group L3), preferably selected fromAgrobacterium radiobacter K1026, Bacillus firmus 1-1582, Bacillusthuringiensis ssp. kurstaki SB4, Beauveria bassiana GHA, B. bassianaH123, B. bassiana DSM 12256, B. bassiana PPRI 5339, Metarhiziumanisopliae var. acridum IMI 330189, M. anisopliae FI-985, M. anisopliaeFI-1045, M. anisopliae F52, M. anisopliae ICIPE 69, Paecilomyceslilacinus DSM 15169, P. lilacinus BCP2, Paenibacillus popilliaeDutky-1940 (NRRL B-2309=ATCC 14706), P. popilliae KLN 3 and P. popilliaeDutky 1, even more preferably from Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstakiSB4, B. bassiana DSM 12256, B. bassiana PPRI 5339, Metarhiziumanisopliae var. acridum IMI 330189, M. anisopliae FI-985, M. anisopliaeFI-1045, Paecilomyces lilacinus DSM 15169, P. lilacinus BCP2,Paenibacillus popilliae Dutky-1940 (NRRL B-2309=ATCC 14706), P.popilliae KLN 3 and P. popilliae Dutky 1

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isBeauveria bassiana, preferably selected from Beauveria bassiana ATCC74040, B. bassiana GHA, B. bassiana H123, B. bassiana DSM 12256 and B.bassiana PPRI 5339, in particular Beauveria bassiana strain PPRI 5339.These mixtures are particularly suitable for wide range of arthropodpests, such as white flies, thrips, mites, aphids, tingids and all theirdevelopmental stages (eggs, immature stages, and adults) infestingnumerous crops (vegetables, cucurbits, solanaceous fruits, strawberry,flowers and ornamentals, grapevine, citrus, pome, stone fruits, etc.).Recent studies have shown that these antagonistic fungal strains caneffectively control also nut-weevils, wireworms (Agriotes spp.), andTephritid flies, such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitiscapitata, the cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi, and the olive fly,Bactrocera oleae. They are also useful in soybean and corn.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isBeauveria brongniartii.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isMetarhizium anisopliae or M. anisopliae var. acridium, preferablyselected from M. anisopliae FI-1045, M. anisopliae F52, M. anisopliaevar. acridum strains FI-985 and IMI 330189, in particular strain IMI330189. These mixtures are particularly suitable for control ofarthropod pests in soybean and corn.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isLecanicillium sp., preferably selected from Lecanicillium longisporumKV42, L. longisporum KV71 and L. muscarium (formerly Verticilliumlecanii) KV01.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isPaecilomyces fumosoroseus, preferably strain FE 9901 especially forwhite fly control.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Nomuraea rileyi, preferably strains SA86101, GU87401,SR86151, CG128 and VA9101; and P. lilacinus, preferably strains 251, DSM15169 or BCP2, in particular BCP2, which strains especially control thegrowth of plant-pathogenic nematodes.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isBacillus firmus, preferably spores of strain CNCM 1-1582, preferable forseed treatment of soybean and corn against nematodes and insects.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II is B.cereus preferably spores of CNCM 1-1562, preferable for seed treatmentof soybean and corn against nematodes and insects.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II is amixture of spores of B. firmus and B. cereus, preferably mixtures sporesof strains CNCM 1-1582 and CNCM 1-1562, preferable for seed treatment ofsoybean and corn against nematodes and insects.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Bacillus thuringiensis, preferably B. thuringiensis ssp.aizawai, in particular B. t. ssp. aizawai strains ABTS-18, SAN 401 I,ABG-6305 and ABG-6346, which are effective against differentlepidopteran species including also noctuidae.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Bacillus t. ssp. israelensis, preferably AM65-52, SAN 402land ABG-6164, which are applied against larvae of various dipteranpests, e.g. mosquitoes and nematoceres.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Bacillus t. ssp. kurstaki preferably from strains EG 2348,SB4 and ABTS-351 (HD-1), in particular B. thuringiensis ssp. kurstakiSB4. These strains are used for control of lepidopteran larvae, butwithout noctuidae.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis, preferably thestrains DSM 2803, NB-125 and NB-176, in particular NB-176, which allprotect plants e.g. against leaf beetle larvae.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II(component 2) a biopesticide from group L4), preferably selected frommethyl jasmonate, Acacia negra extract, extract of grapefruit seeds andpulp, Catnip oil, Neem oil, Quillay extract and Tagetes oil, inparticular methyl jasmonate or water-based Quillay extract.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II(component 2) a biopesticide from group L5), preferably selected fromAzospirillum amazonense BR 11140 (SpY2T), A. brasilense XOH, A.brasilense BR 11005 (Sp245), A. brasilense BR 11002, A. lipoferum BR11646 (Sp31), A. irakense, A. halopraeferens, Bacillus amyloliquefaciensAP-136 (NRRL B-50614), Bradyrhizobium sp. (Vigna), B. japonicum USDA 3,B. japonicum USDA 31, B. japonicum USDA 76, B. japonicum USDA 110, B.japonicum USDA 121, Glomus intraradices RTI-801, Paenibacillus alveiNAS6G6, Penicillium bilaiae, Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseolii, R.I. trifolii, R. I. bv. viciae, and Sinorhizobium meliloti, morepreferably selected from Azospirillum brasilense BR 11005 (Sp245),Bradyrhizobium sp. (Vigna), B. japonicum USDA 3, B. japonicum USDA 31,B. japonicum USDA 76, B. japonicum USDA 110, B. japonicum USDA 121,Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseolii, R. I. trifolii RP113-7, R. I. bv.viciae SU303, R. I. bv. viciae WSM1455, R. tropici SEMIA 4088 andSinorhizobium meliloti.

According to another embodiment of the inventive mixtures,Bradyrhizobium sp. (meaning any Bradyrhizobium species and/or strain) aspesticide II is Bradyrhizobium japonicum (B. japonicum). These mixturesare particularly suitable in soybean. B. japonicum strains werecultivated using media and fermentation techniques known in the art,e.g. in yeast extract-mannitol broth (YEM) at 27° C. for about 5 days.

The present invention also relates to mixtures, wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Bradyrhizobium japonicum (B. japonicum)and further comprisies a compound III, wherein compound III is selectedfrom jasmonic acid or salts or derivatives thereof includingcis-jasmone, preferably methyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone. References forvarious B. japonicum strains are given e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,151(B. japonicum strains USDA 110 (=IITA 2121, SEMIA 5032, RCR 3427, ARS1-110, Nitragin 61A89; isolated from Glycine max in Florida in 1959,Serogroup 110; Appl Environ Microbiol 60, 940-94, 1994), USDA 31(=Nitragin 61A164; isolated from Glycine max in Wisoconsin in 1941, USA,Serogroup 31), USDA 76 (plant passage of strain USDA 74 which has beenisolated from Glycine max in California, USA, in 1956, Serogroup 76),USDA 121 (isolated from Glycine max in Ohio, USA, in 1965), USDA 3(isolated from Glycine max in Virginia, USA, in 1914, Serogroup 6), USDA121 (Crop Science 26(5), 911-916, 1986) and USDA 136 (=CB 1809, SEMIA586, Nitragin 61A136, RCR 3407; isolated from Glycine max in Beltsville,Md. in 1961; Appl Environ Microbiol 60, 940-94, 1994). Further suitableB. japonicum strain G49 (INRA, Angers, France) is described inFernandez-Flouret, D. & Cleyet-Marel, J. C. (1987) C R Acad Agric Fr 73,163-171), especially for soybean grown in Europe, in particular inFrance. Further suitable B. japonicum strain TA-11 (TA11 NOD⁺) (NRRLB-18466) is i.a. described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,076; Appl EnvironMicrobiol (1990) 56, 2399-2403 and commercially available as liquidinoculant for soybean (VAULT® NP, Becker Underwood, USA). Further B.japonicum strains as example for pesticide II are described inUS2012/0252672A. Further suitable and especially in Canada commerciallyavailable strain 532c (The Nitragin Company, Milwaukee, Wis., USA, fieldisolate from Wisconsin; Nitragin strain collection No. 61A152; Can JPlant Sci 70 (1990), 661-666) (e.g. in RHIZOFLO, HISTICK, HICOAT Superfrom Becker Underwood, Canada). Preferably, B. japonicum is selectedfrom strains TA-11 and 532c, more preferably a mixture of B. japonicumstrains TA-11 and 532c.

Other suitable and commercially available B. japonicum strains (see e.g.Appl Environ Microbiol 2007, 73(8), 2635) are SEMIA 566 (isolated fromNorth American inoculant in 1966 and used in Brazilian commercialinoculants from 1966 to 1978), SEMIA 586 (=CB 1809; originally isolatedin Maryland, USA but received from Austrailia in 1966 and used inBrazilian inoculants in 1977), CPAC 15 (=SEMIA 5079; a natural varaiantof SEMIA 566 used in commercial inoculants since 1992) and CPAC 7(=SEMIA 5080; a natural variant of SEMIA 586 used in commercialinoculants since 1992). These strains are especially suitable forsoybean grown in Australia or South America, in particular in Brazil. Inparticular, mixtures of B. japonicum SEMIA 5079 and SEMIA 5080 aresuitable. Some of the abovementioned strains have been re-classified asa novel species Bradyrhizobium elkanii, e.g. strain USDA 76 (Can. J.Microbiol., 1992, 38, 501-505).

Another suitable and commercially available B. japonicum strain is E-109(variant of strain USDA 138, see e.g. Eur. J. Soil Biol. 45 (2009)28-35; Biol Fertil Soils (2011) 47:81-89, deposited at AgricultureCollection Laboratory of the Instituto de Microbiologia y Zoologia Agricola (IMYZA), Instituto Nacional de Tecnologi 'a Agropecuaria (INTA),Castelar, Argentina). This strain is especially suitable for soybeangrown in South America, in particular in Argentina.

Another suitable and commercially available B. japonicum strain are WB74or WB74-1 (e.g. from Stimuplant CC, South Africa or from SoyGroBio-Fertilizer Ltd, South Africa). These strains are especially suitablefor soybean grown in South America and Africa, in particular in SouthAfrica.

The present invention also relates to mixtures, wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Bradyrhizobium elkanii and Bradyrhizobiumliaoningense (B. elkanii and B. liaoningense), more preferably from B.elkanii. These mixtures are particularly suitable in soybean. B. elkaniiand liaoningense were cultivated using media and fermentation techniquesknown in the art, e.g. in yeast extract-mannitol broth (YEM) at 27° C.for about 5 days.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from selected from B. elkanii and B.liaoningense and further comprises a compound III, wherein compound IIIis selected from jasmonic acid or salts or derivatives thereof includingcis-jasmone, preferably methyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

Suitable and commercially available B. elkanii strains are SEMIA 587 andSEMIA 5019 (=29W) (see e.g. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007, 73(8), 2635)and USDA 3254 and USDA 76 and USDA 94. Preferably, mixtures of B.elkanii strains SEMIA 587 and SEMIA 5019 are useful (e.g. in Gelfix 5from Nitral Urbana Laboratories, Brazil, a BASF Company). Furthercommercially available B. elkanii strains are U-1301 and U-1302 (e.g.product Nitroagin® Optimize from Novozymes Bio As S. A., Brazil orNITRASEC for soybean from LAGE y Cia, Brazil). These strains areespecially suitable for soybean grown in Australia or South America, inparticular in Brazil.

The present invention also relates to mixtures, wherein pesticide II isselected from Bradyrhizobium sp. (Arachis) (B. sp. Arachis) which shalldescribe the cowpea miscellany cross-inoculation group which includesinter alia indigenous cowpea bradyrhizobia on cowpea (Vignaunguiculata), siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum), lima bean (Phaseoluslunatus), and peanut (Arachis hypogaea). This mixture comprising aspesticide II B. sp. Arachis is especially suitable for use in peanut,Cowpea, Mung bean, Moth bean, Dune bean, Rice bean, Snake bean andCreeping vigna, in particular peanut.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from B. sp. (Arachis) and further comprises acompound III, wherein compound III is selected from jasmonic acid orsalts or derivatives thereof including cis-jasmone, preferablymethyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

Suitable and commercially available B. sp. (Arachis) strain is CB1015(=IITA 1006, USDA 3446 presumably originally collected in India; fromAustralian Inoculants Research Group; see e.g.http://www.qaseeds.com.au/inoculant_applic.php). These strains areespecially suitable for peanut grown in Australia, North America orSouth America, in particular in Brazil. Further suitable strain isBradyrhizobium sp. PNLO1 (Becker Underwood; Bisson and Mason, Apr. 29,2010, Project report, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.,USA:http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/Eproject/Available/E-project-042810-163614/).

Suitable and commercially available Bradyrhizobium sp. (Arachis) strainsespecially for cowpea and peanut but also for soybean are BradyrhizobiumSEMIA 6144, SEMIA 6462 (=BR 3267) and SEMIA 6464 (=BR 3262; see e.g.FEMS Microbiology Letters (2010) 303(2), 123-131; Revista Brasileira deCiencia do Solo (2011) 35(3); 739-742, ISSN 0100-0683).

The present invention also relates to mixtures, wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lupine) (also calledB. lupini, B. lupines or Rhizobium lupini). This mixture is especiallysuitable for use in dry beans and lupins. The present invention alsorelates to mixtures wherein the at least one pesticide II is selectedfrom Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lupine) (B. lupini) and further comprises acompound III, wherein compound III is selected from jasmonic acid orsalts or derivatives thereof including cis-jasmone, preferablymethyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

Suitable and commercially available B. lupini strain is LL13 (isolatedfrom Lupinus iuteus nodules from French soils; deposited at INRA, Dijonand Angers, France; http://agriculture.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/ch20060216.pdf).This strain is especially suitable for lupins grown in Australia, NorthAmerica or Europe, in particular in Europe.

Further suitable and commercially available B. lupini strains WU425(isolated in Esperance, Western Australia from a non-Australian legumeOrnthopus compressus), WSM4024 (isolated from lupins in Australia by CRSduring a 2005 survey) and WSM471 (isolated from Ornithopus pimatus inOyster Harbour, Western Australia) are described e.g. in Palta J. A. andBerger J. B. (eds), 2008, Proceedings 12^(th) International LupinConference, 14-18 Sep. 2008, Fremantle, Western Australia. InternationalLupin Association, Canterbury, New Zealand, 47-50, ISBN 0-86476-153-8:http://www.lupins.org/pdf/conference/2008/Agronomy%20and%20Production/John%20Howieson %20and %20G %20OHara.pdf; Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71,7041-7052, 2005; Australian J. Exp. Agricult. 36(1), 63-70, 1996.

The present invention also relates to mixtures, wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Mesorhizobium sp. (meaning anyMesorhizobium species and/or strain), more preferably Mesorhizobiumciceri. These mixtures are particularly suitable in cowpea.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Mesorhizobium sp. and further comprises acompound III, wherein compound III is selected from jasmonic acid orsalts or derivatives thereof including cis-jasmone, preferablymethyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

Suitable and commercially available Mesorhizobium sp. strains are e.g.M. ciceri CC1192 (=UPM 848, CECT 5549; from Horticultural ResearchStation, Gosford, Australia; collected in Israel from Cicer arietinumnodules; Can J Microbial (2002) 48, 279-284) and Mesorhizobium sp.strains WSM1271 (collected in Sardinia, Italy, from plant host Biserrulapelecinus), WSM 1497 (collected in Mykonos, Greece, from plant hostBiserrula pelecinus), M. loti strains CC829 (commerical inoculant forLotus pedunculatus and L. ulginosus in Australia, isolated from L.ulginosus nodules in USA; NZP 2012), M. loti SU343 (a commercialinoculant for Lotus corniculatus in Australia; isolated from hostnodules in USA). For references see e.g. Soil Biol Biochem (2004) 36(8),1309-1317; Plant and Soil (2011) 348(1-2), 231-243).

Suitable and commercially available M. loti strains are e.g. M. lotiCC829 for Lotus pedunculatus.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Mesorhizobium huakuii, also referred to asRhizobium huakuii (see e.g. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2011, 77(15),5513-5516). These mixtures are particularly suitable in Astralagus, e.g.Astalagus sinicus (Chinese milkwetch), Thermopsis, e.g. Thermopsisluinoides (Goldenbamer) and alike.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Mesorhizobium huakuii and furthercomprises a compound III, wherein compound III is selected from jasmonicacid or salts or derivatives thereof including cis-jasmone, preferablymethyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

Suitable and commercially available M. huakuii strain is HN3015 whichwas isolated from Astralagus sinicus in a rice-growing field of SouthernChina (see e.g. World J. Microbiol. Biotechn. (2007) 23(6), 845-851,ISSN 0959-3993).

The present invention also relates to mixtures, wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Azospirillum amazonense, A. brasilense, A.lipoferum, A. irakense and A. halopraeferens, more preferably from A.brasilense, in particular selected from A. brasilense strains BR 11005(Sp245) and AZ39 which are both commercially used in Brazil and areobtainable from EMBRAPA-Agribiologia, Brazil. These mixtures areparticularly suitable in soybean.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from A. amazonense, A. brasilense, A.lipoferum, A. irakense and A. halopraeferens, more preferably A.brasilense, and further comprises a compound III, wherein compound IIIis selected from jasmonic acid or salts or derivatives thereof includingcis-jasmone, preferably methyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseolii; R.I. trifolii, especially strain RP113-7 thereof, R. I. bv. viciae, inparticular strains SU303, WSM1455 and P1NP3Cst thereof; R. tropici,especially strain SEMIA 4088 thereof; and Sinorhizobium meliloti,especially strain MSDJ0848 thereof. Sinorhizobium meliloti iscommercially available from Becker Underwood as product Dormal® Alfalfa& Luzerne. Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli is commerciallyavailable from Becker Underwood as product Rhizo Stick. These strainsare particulyrly suitable as inoculants for various legumes such asalfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, peanuts and others.

The present invention also relates to mixtures wherein the at least onepesticide II is selected from R. leguminosarum bv. phaseolii, R. I.trifolii, R. I. bv. viciae, R. tropici and Sinorhizobium meliloti, andfurther comprises a compound III, wherein compound III is selected fromjasmonic acid or salts or derivatives thereof including cis-jasmone,preferably methyl-jasmonate or cis-jasmone.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Delftia acidovorans, in particular strain RAY209,especially in soybean and canola.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Lysobacter spp., preferably selected from L. antibioticus,in particular strains 13-1 and HS124, preferably in rice or pepper forcontrol of Phytophthora or bacterial leaf blight. According to a furtherembodiment, the at least one pesticide II is selected from L.enzymogenes, in particular strain 3.1T8.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Lysobacter spp., preferably selected from Pseudomonasspp., in particular strain MA 342 and Pseudomonas sp. DSM 13134.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one pesticide II isselected from Penicillium bilaiae.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II(component 2) a biopesticide from group L6), preferably selected fromabscisic acid, aluminium silicate (kaolin), humates, Ascophyllum nodosum(Norwegian kelp, Brown kelp) extract and Ecklonia maxima (kelp) extract.

Preference is also given to mixtures comprising as pesticide II abiopesticide selected from the isoflavones formonennitin, hesperetin andnaringenin.

Accordingly, the present invention furthermore relates to compositionscomprising a strain, cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite ofthe invention (component 1) and one pesticide II (component 2), whichpesticide II is selected from the column “Co. 2” of the lines B-1 toB-810 of Table B.

A further embodiment relates to the compositions B-1 to B-810 listed inTable B, where a row of Table B corresponds in each case to a fungicidalcomposition comprising as active components one of the in the presentspecification individualized compounds of formula I (component 1) andthe respective pesticide II from groups A) to O) (component 2) stated inthe row in question. Preferably, the compositions described comprise theactive components in synergistically effective amounts.

TABLE B Compositions comprising as active components one indiviualizedstrain, cell-free extract, culture medium or extrolite of the invention(hereinafter referred to as group I) (in Column Co. 1) and as component2) (in Column Co. 2) one pesticide from groups A) to O) [which is codede.g. as (A.1.1) for azoxystrobin as defined above] Mixt. Co. 1 Co. 2 B-1(I) (A.1.1) B-2 (I) (A.1.2) B-3 (I) (A.1.3) B-4 (I) (A.1.4) B-5 (I)(A.1.5) B-6 (I) (A.1.6) B-7 (I) (A.1.7) B-8 (I) (A.1.8) B-9 (I) (A.1.9)B-10 (I) (A.1.10) B-11 (I) (A.1.11) B-12 (I) (A.1.12) B-13 (I) (A.1.13)B-14 (I) (A.1.14) B-15 (I) (A.1.15) B-16 (I) (A.1.16) B-17 (I) (A.1.17)B-18 (I) (A.1.18) B-19 (I) (A.1.19) B-20 (I) (A.1.20) B-21 (I) (A.1.21)B-22 (I) (A.2.1) B-23 (I) (A.2.2) B-24 (I) (A.2.3) B-25 (I) (A.2.4) B-26(I) (A.2.5) B-27 (I) (A.2.6) B-28 (I) (A.2.7) B-29 (I) (A.3.1) B-30 (I)(A.3.2) B-31 (I) (A.3.3) B-32 (I) (A.3.4) B-33 (I) (A.3.5) B-34 (I)(A.3.6) B-35 (I) (A.3.7) B-36 (I) (A.3.8) B-37 (I) (A.3.9) B-38 (I)(A.3.10) B-39 (I) (A.3.11) B-40 (I) (A.3.12) B-41 (I) (A.3.13) B-42 (I)(A.3.14) B-43 (I) (A.3.15) B-44 (I) (A.3.16) B-45 (I) (A.3.17) B-46 (I)(A.3.18) B-47 (I) (A.3.19) B-48 (I) (A.3.20) B-49 (I) (A.3.21) B-50 (I)(A.3.22) B-51 (I) (A.3.23) B-52 (I) (A.3.24) B-53 (I) (A.3.25) B-54 (I)(A.3.26) B-55 (I) (A.3.27) B-56 (I) (A.4.1) B-57 (I) (A.4.2) B-58 (I)(A.4.3) B-59 (I) (A.4.4) B-60 (I) (A.4.5) B-61 (I) (A.4.6) B-62 (I)(A.4.7) B-63 (I) (A.4.8) B-64 (I) (A.4.9) B-65 (I) (A.4.10) B-66 (I)(A.4.11) B-67 (I) (A.4.12) B-68 (I) (B.1.1) B-69 (I) (B.1.2) B-70 (I)(B.1.3) B-71 (I) (B.1.4) B-72 (I) (B.1.5) B-73 (I) (B.1.6) B-74 (I)(B.1.7) B-75 (I) (B.1.8) B-76 (I) (B.1.9) B-77 (I) (B.1.10) B-78 (I)(B.1.11) B-79 (I) (B.1.12) B-80 (I) (B.1.13) B-81 (I) (B.1.14) B-82 (I)(B.1.15) B-83 (I) (B.1.16) B-84 (I) (B.1.17) B-85 (I) (B.1.18) B-86 (I)(B.1.19) B-87 (I) (B.1.20) B-88 (I) (B.1.21) B-89 (I) (B.1.22) B-90 (I)(B.1.23) B-91 (I) (B.1.24) B-92 (I) (B.1.25) B-93 (I) (B.1.26) B-94 (I)(B.1.27) B-95 (I) (B.1.28) B-96 (I) (B.1.29) B-97 (I) (B.1.30) B-98 (I)(B.1.31) B-99 (I) (B.1.32) B-100 (I) (B.1.33) B-101 (I) (B.1.34) B-102(I) (B.1.35) B-103 (I) (B.1.36) B-104 (I) (B.1.37) B-105 (I) (B.1.38)B-106 (I) (B.1.39) B-107 (I) (B.1.40) B-108 (I) (B.1.41) B-109 (I)(B.1.42) B-110 (I) (B.1.43) B-111 (I) (B.1.44) B-112 (I) (B.1.45) B-113(I) (B.1.46) B-114 (I) (B.1.47) B-115 (I) (B.1.48) B-116 (I) (B.1.49)B-117 (I) (B.1.50) B-118 (I) (B.2.1) B-119 (I) (B.2.2) B-120 (I) (B.2.3)B-121 (I) (B.2.4) B-122 (I) (B.2.5) B-123 (I) (B.2.6) B-124 (I) (B.2.7)B-125 (I) (B.2.8) B-126 (I) (B.3.1) B-127 (I) (C.1.1) B-128 (I) (C.1.2)B-129 (I) (C.1.3) B-130 (I) (C.1.4) B-131 (I) (C.1.5) B-132 (I) (C.1.6)B-133 (I) (C.1.7) B-134 (I) (C.2.1) B-135 (I) (C.2.2) B-136 (I) (C.2.3)B-137 (I) (C.2.4) B-138 (I) (C.2.5) B-139 (I) (C.2.6) B-140 (I) (C.2.7)B-141 (I) (D.1.1) B-142 (I) (D.1.2) B-143 (I) (D.1.3) B-144 (I) (D.1.4)B-145 (I) (D.1.5) B-146 (I) (D.1.6) B-147 (I) (D.2.1) B-148 (I) (D.2.2)B-149 (I) (D.2.3) B-150 (I) (D.2.4) B-151 (I) (D.2.5) B-152 (I) (D.2.6)B-153 (I) (D.2.7) B-154 (I) (E.1.1) B-155 (I) (E.1.2) B-156 (I) (E.1.3)B-157 (I) (E.2.1) B-158 (I) (E.2.2) B-159 (I) (E.2.3) B-160 (I) (E.2.4)B-161 (I) (E.2.5) B-162 (I) (E.2.6) B-163 (I) (E.2.7) B-164 (I) (E.2.8)B-165 (I) (F.1.1) B-166 (I) (F.1.2) B-167 (I) (F.1.3) B-168 (I) (F.1.4)B-169 (I) (F.1.5) B-170 (I) (F.1.6) B-171 (I) (F.2.1) B-172 (I) (G.1.1)B-173 (I) (G.1.2) B-174 (I) (G.1.3) B-175 (I) (G.1.4) B-176 (I) (G.2.1)B-177 (I) (G.2.2) B-178 (I) (G.2.3) B-179 (I) (G.2.4) B-180 (I) (G.2.5)B-181 (I) (G.2.6) B-182 (I) (G.2.7) B-183 (I) (G.3.1) B-184 (I) (G.3.2)B-185 (I) (G.3.3) B-186 (I) (G.3.4) B-187 (I) (G.3.5) B-188 (I) (G.3.6)B-189 (I) (G.3.7) B-190 (I) (G.3.8) B-191 (I) (G.4.1) B-192 (I) (G.5.1)B-193 (I) (H.1.1) B-194 (I) (H.1.2) B-195 (I) (H.1.3) B-196 (I) (H.1.4)B-197 (I) (H.1.5) B-198 (I) (H.1.6) B-199 (I) (H.2.1) B-200 (I) (H.2.2)B-201 (I) (H.2.3) B-202 (I) (H.2.4) B-203 (I) (H.2.5) B-204 (I) (H.2.6)B-205 (I) (H.2.7) B-206 (I) (H.2.8) B-207 (I) (H.2.9) B-208 (I) (H.3.1)B-209 (I) (H.3.2) B-210 (I) (H.3.3) B-211 (I) (H.3.4) B-212 (I) (H.3.5)B-213 (I) (H.3.6) B-214 (I) (H.3.7) B-215 (I) (H.3.8) B-216 (I) (H.3.9)B-217 (I) (H.3.10) B-218 (I) (H.3.11) B-219 (I) (H.4.1) B-220 (I)(H.4.2) B-221 (I) (H.4.3) B-222 (I) (H.4.4) B-223 (I) (H.4.5) B-224 (I)(H.4.6) B-225 (I) (H.4.7) B-226 (I) (H.4.8) B-227 (I) (H.4.9) B-228 (I)(H.4.10) B-229 (I) (I.1.1) B-230 (I) (I.1.2) B-231 (I) (I.2.1) B-232 (I)(I.2.2) B-233 (I) (I.2.3) B-234 (I) (I.2.4) B-235 (I) (I.2.5) B-236 (I)(J.1.1) B-237 (I) (J.1.2) B-238 (I) (J.1.3) B-239 (I) (J.1.4) B-240 (I)(J.1.5) B-241 (I) (J.1.6) B-242 (I) (J.1.7) B-243 (I) (J.1.8) B-244 (I)(J.1.9) B-245 (I) (K.1.1) B-246 (I) (K.1.2) B-247 (I) (K.1.3) B-248 (I)(K.1.4) B-249 (I) (K.1.5) B-250 (I) (K.1.6) B-251 (I) (K.1.7) B-252 (I)(K.1.8) B-253 (I) (K.1.9) B-254 (I) (K.1.10) B-255 (I) (K.1.11) B-256(I) (K.1.12) B-257 (I) (K.1.13) B-258 (I) (K.1.14) B-259 (I) (K.1.15)B-260 (I) (K.1.16) B-261 (I) (K.1.17) B-262 (I) (K.1.18) B-263 (I)(K.1.19) B-264 (I) (K.1.20) B-265 (I) (K.1.21) B-266 (I) (K.1.22) B-267(I) (K.1.23) B-268 (I) (K.1.24) B-269 (I) (K.1.25) B-270 (I) (K.1.26)B-271 (I) (K.1.27) B-272 (I) (K.1.28) B-273 (I) (K.1.29) B-274 (I)(K.1.30) B-275 (I) (K.1.31) B-276 (I) (K.1.32) B-277 (I) (K.1.33) B-278(I) (K.1.34) B-279 (I) (K.1.35) B-280 (I) (K.1.36) B-281 (I) (K.1.37)B-282 (I) (K.1.38) B-283 (I) (K.1.39) B-284 (I) (K.1.40) B-285 (I)(K.1.41) B-286 (I) (K.1.42) B-287 (I) (K.1.43) B-288 (I) (K.1.44) B-289(I) (K.1.45) B-290 (I) (K.1.46) B-291 (I) (K.1.47) B-292 (I) (M.1.1)B-293 (I) (M.1.2) B-294 (I) (M.1.3) B-295 (I) (M.1.4) B-296 (I) (M.1.5)B-297 (I) (M.1.6) B-298 (I) (M.1.7) B-299 (I) (M.1.8) B-300 (I) (M.1.9)B-301 (I) (M.1.10) B-302 (I) (M.1.11) B-303 (I) (M.1.12) B-304 (I)(M.1.13) B-305 (I) (M.1.14) B-306 (I) (M.1.15) B-307 (I) (M.1.16) B-308(I) (M.1.17) B-309 (I) (M.1.18) B-310 (I) (M.1.19) B-311 (I) (M.1.20)B-312 (I) (M.1.21) B-313 (I) (M.1.22) B-314 (I) (M.1.23) B-315 (I)(M.1.24) B-316 (I) (M.1.25) B-317 (I) (M.1.26) B-318 (I) (M.1.27) B-319(I) (M.1.28) B-320 (I) (M.1.29) B-321 (I) (M.1.30) B-322 (I) (M.1.31)B-323 (I) (M.1.32) B-324 (I) (M.1.33) B-325 (I) (M.1.34) B-326 (I)(M.1.35) B-327 (I) (M.1.36) B-328 (I) (M.1.37) B-329 (I) (M.1.38) B-330(I) (M.1.39) B-331 (I) (M.1.40) B-332 (I) (M.1.41) B-333 (I) (M.1.42)B-334 (I) (M.1.43) B-335 (I) (M.1.44) B-336 (I) (M.1.45) B-337 (I)(M.1.46) B-338 (I) (M.1.47) B-339 (I) (M.1.48) B-340 (I) (M.1.49) B-341(I) (M.1.50) B-342 (I) (N.1.1) B-343 (I) (N.1.2) B-344 (I) (N.1.3) B-345(I) (N.1.4) B-346 (I) (N.1.5) B-347 (I) (N.2.1) B-348 (I) (N.2.2) B-349(I) (N.2.3) B-350 (I) (N.3.1) B-351 (I) (N.3.2) B-352 (I) (N.3.3) B-353(I) (N.3.4) B-354 (I) (N.4.1) B-355 (I) (N.5.1) B-356 (I) (N.6.1) B-357(I) (N.6.2) B-358 (I) (N.6.3) B-359 (I) (N.6.4) B-360 (I) (N.6.5) B-361(I) (N.7.1) B-362 (I) (N.7.2) B-363 (I) (N.7.3) B-364 (I) (N.8.1) B-365(I) (N.9.1) B-366 (I) (N.10.1) B-367 (I) (N.10.2) B-368 (I) (N.10.3)B-369 (I) (N.10.4) B-370 (I) (N.10.5) B-371 (I) (N.11.1) B-372 (I)(N.12.1) B-373 (I) (N.12.2) B-374 (I) (N.12.3) B-375 (I) (N.12.4) B-376(I) (N.13.1) B-377 (I) (N.13.2) B-378 (I) (N.13.3) B-379 (I) (N.13.4)B-380 (I) (N.13.5) B-381 (I) (N.13.6) B-382 (I) (N.13.7) B-383 (I)(N.13.8) B-384 (I) (N.13.9) B-385 (I) (N.14.1) B-386 (I) (N.14.2) B-387(I) (N.15.1) B-388 (I) (N.16.1) B-389 (I) (N.16.2) B-390 (I) (N.17.1)B-391 (I) (N.17.2) B-392 (I) (N.17.3) B-393 (I) (N.17.4) B-394 (I)(N.17.5) B-395 (I) (N.17.6) B-396 (I) (N.17.7) B-397 (I) (N.17.8) B-398(I) (N.17.9) B-399 (I) (N.17.10) B-400 (I) (N.17.11) B-401 (I) (N.17.12)B-402 (I) (O.1.1) B-403 (I) (O.1.2) B-404 (I) (O.1.3) B-405 (I) (O.1.4)B-406 (I) (O.1.5) B-407 (I) (O.1.6) B-408 (I) (O.1.7) B-409 (I) (O.1.8)B-410 (I) (O.1.9) B-411 (I) (O.1.10) B-412 (I) (O.1.11) B-413 (I)(O.1.12) B-414 (I) (O.1.13) B-415 (I) (O.1.14) B-416 (I) (O.1.15) B-417(I) (O.1.16) B-418 (I) (O.1.17) B-419 (I) (O.1.18) B-420 (I) (O.1.19)B-421 (I) (O.1.20) B-422 (I) (O.1.21) B-423 (I) (O.1.22) B-424 (I)(O.1.23) B-425 (I) (O.1.24) B-426 (I) (O.1.25) B-427 (I) (O.1.26) B-428(I) (O.1.27) B-429 (I) (O.1.28) B-430 (I) (O.1.29) B-431 (I) (O.1.30)B-432 (I) (O.1.31) B-433 (I) (O.1.32) B-434 (I) (O.1.33) B-435 (I)(O.1.34) B-436 (I) (O.1.35) B-437 (I) (O.1.36) B-438 (I) (O.1.37) B-439(I) (O.1.38) B-440 (I) (O.2.1) B-441 (I) (O.2.2) B-442 (I) (O.2.3) B-443(I) (O.2.4) B-444 (I) (O.2.5) B-445 (I) (O.2.6) B-446 (I) (O.2.7) B-447(I) (O.2.8) B-448 (I) (O.2.9) B-449 (I) (O.2.10) B-450 (I) (O.2.11)B-451 (I) (O.2.12) B-452 (I) (O.2.13) B-453 (I) (O.2.14) B-454 (I)(O.2.15) B-455 (I) (O.2.16) B-456 (I) (O.3.1) B-457 (I) (O.3.2) B-458(I) (O.3.3) B-459 (I) (O.3.4) B-460 (I) (O.3.5) B-461 (I) (O.3.6) B-462(I) (O.3.7) B-463 (I) (O.3.8) B-464 (I) (O.3.9) B-465 (I) (O.3.10) B-466(I) (O.3.11) B-467 (I) (O.3.12) B-468 (I) (O.3.13) B-469 (I) (O.3.14)B-470 (I) (O.3.15) B-471 (I) (O.3.16) B-472 (I) (O.3.17) B-473 (I)(O.3.18) B-474 (I) (O.3.19) B-475 (I) (O.3.20) B-476 (I) (O.3.21) B-477(I) (O.3.22) B-478 (I) (O.3.23) B-479 (I) (O.3.24) B-480 (I) (O.3.25)B-481 (I) (O.3.26) B-482 (I) (O.3.27) B-483 (I) (O.4.1) B-484 (I)(O.4.2) B-485 (I) (O.4.3) B-486 (I) (O.4.4) B-487 (I) (O.4.5) B-488 (I)(O.4.6) B-489 (I) (O.4.7) B-490 (I) (O.4.8) B-491 (I) (O.4.9) B-492 (I)(O.4.10) B-493 (I) (O.4.11) B-494 (I) (O.4.12) B-495 (I) (O.4.13) B-496(I) (O.4.14) B-497 (I) (O.4.15) B-498 (I) (O.4.16) B-499 (I) (O.4.17)B-500 (I) (O.4.18) B-501 (I) (O.4.19) B-502 (I) (O.4.20) B-503 (I)(O.4.21) B-504 (I) (O.4.22) B-505 (I) (O.4.23) B-506 (I) (O.4.24) B-507(I) (O.5.1) B-508 (I) (O.5.2) B-509 (I) (O.5.3) B-510 (I) (O.5.4) B-511(I) (O.5.5) B-512 (I) (O.5.6) B-513 (I) (O.5.7) B-514 (I) (O.5.8) B-515(I) (O.5.9) B-516 (I) (O.6.1) B-517 (I) (O.6.2) B-518 (I) (O.6.3) B-519(I) (O.6.4) B-520 (I) (O.6.5) B-521 (I) (O.6.6) B-522 (I) (O.6.7) B-523(I) (O.7.1) B-524 (I) (O.7.2) B-525 (I) (O.7.3) B-526 (I) (O.7.4) B-527(I) (O.7.5) B-528 (I) (O.7.6) B-529 (I) (O.8.1) B-530 (I) (O.8.2) B-531(I) (O.8.3) B-532 (I) (O.8.4) B-533 (I) (O.8.5) B-534 (I) (O.9.1) B-535(I) (O.9.2) B-536 (I) (O.9.3) B-537 (I) (O.10.1) B-538 (I) (O.11.1)B-539 (I) (O.11.2) B-540 (I) (O.11.3) B-541 (I) (O.11.4) B-542 (I)(O.12.1) B-543 (I) (O.13.1) B-544 (I) (O.14.1) B-545 (I) (O.14.2) B-546(I) (O.15.1) B-547 (I) (O.15.2) B-548 (I) (O.15.3) B-549 (I) (O.15.4)B-550 (I) (O.15.5) B-551 (I) (O.15.6) B-552 (I) (O.15.7) B-553 (I)(O.15.8) B-554 (I) (O.15.9) B-555 (I) (O.15.10) B-556 (I) (O.15.11)B-557 (I) (O.16.1) B-558 (I) (O.16.2) B-559 (I) (O.16.3) B-560 (I)(O.16.4) B-561 (I) (O.16.5) B-562 (I) (O.16.6) B-563 (I) (L.1.1) B-564(I) (L.1.2) B-565 (I) (L.1.3) B-566 (I) (L.1.4) B-567 (I) (L.1.5) B-568(I) (L.1.6) B-569 (I) (L.1.7) B-570 (I) (L.1.8) B-571 (I) (L.1.9) B-572(I) (L.1.10) B-573 (I) (L.1.11) B-574 (I) (L.1.12) B-575 (I) (L.1.13)B-576 (I) (L.1.14) B-577 (I) (L.1.15) B-578 (I) (L.1.16) B-579 (I)(L.1.17) B-580 (I) (L.1.18) B-581 (I) (L.1.19) B-582 (I) (L.1.20) B-583(I) (L.1.21) B-584 (I) (L.1.22) B-585 (I) (L.1.23) B-586 (I) (L.1.24)B-587 (I) (L.1.25) B-588 (I) (L.1.26) B-589 (I) (L.1.27) B-590 (I)(L.1.28) B-591 (I) (L.1.29) B-592 (I) (L.1.30) B-593 (I) (L.1.31) B-594(I) (L.1.32) B-595 (I) (L.1.33) B-596 (I) (L.1.34) B-597 (I) (L.1.35)B-598 (I) (L.1.36) B-599 (I) (L.1.37) B-600 (I) (L.1.38) B-601 (I)(L.1.39) B-602 (I) (L.1.40) B-603 (I) (L.1.41) B-604 (I) (L.1.42) B-605(I) (L.1.43) B-606 (I) (L.1.44) B-607 (I) (L.1.45) B-608 (I) (L.1.46)B-609 (I) (L.1.47) B-610 (I) (L.1.48) B-611 (I) (L.1.49) B-612 (I)(L.1.50) B-613 (I) (L.1.51) B-614 (I) (L.1.52) B-615 (I) (L.1.53) B-616(I) (L.1.54) B-617 (I) (L.1.55) B-618 (I) (L.1.56) B-619 (I) (L.1.57)B-620 (I) (L.1.58) B-621 (I) (L.1.59) B-622 (I) (L.1.60) B-623 (I)(L.1.61) B-624 (I) (L.1.62) B-625 (I) (L.1.63) B-626 (I) (L.1.64) B-627(I) (L.1.65) B-628 (I) (L.1.66) B-629 (I) (L.1.67) B-630 (I) (L.1.68)B-631 (I) (L.1.69) B-632 (I) (L.1.70) B-633 (I) (L.1.71) B-634 (I)(L.1.72) B-635 (I) (L.1.73) B-636 (I) (L.2.1) B-637 (I) (L.2.2) B-638(I) (L.2.3) B-639 (I) (L.2.4) B-640 (I) (L.2.5) B-641 (I) (L.2.6) B-642(I) (L.2.7) B-643 (I) (L.2.8) B-644 (I) (L.2.9) B-645 (I) (L.2.10) B-646(I) (L.2.11) B-647 (I) (L.3.1) B-648 (I) (L.3.2) B-649 (I) (L.3.3) B-650(I) (L.3.4) B-651 (I) (L.3.5) B-652 (I) (L.3.6) B-653 (I) (L.3.7) B-654(I) (L.3.8) B-655 (I) (L.3.9) B-656 (I) (L.3.10) B-657 (I) (L.3.11)B-658 (I) (L.3.12) B-659 (I) (L.3.13) B-660 (I) (L.3.14) B-661 (I)(L.3.15) B-662 (I) (L.3.16) B-663 (I) (L.3.17) B-664 (I) (L.3.18) B-665(I) (L.3.19) B-666 (I) (L.3.20) B-667 (I) (L.3.21) B-668 (I) (L.3.22)B-669 (I) (L.3.23) B-670 (I) (L.3.24) B-671 (I) (L.3.25) B-672 (I)(L.3.26) B-673 (I) (L.3.27) B-674 (I) (L.3.28) B-675 (I) (L.3.29) B-676(I) (L.3.30) B-677 (I) (L.3.31) B-678 (I) (L.3.32) B-679 (I) (L.3.33)B-680 (I) (L.3.34) B-681 (I) (L.3.35) B-682 (I) (L.3.36) B-683 (I)(L.3.37) B-684 (I) (L.3.38) B-685 (I) (L.3.39) B-686 (I) (L.3.40) B-687(I) (L.3.41) B-688 (I) (L.3.42) B-689 (I) (L.3.43) B-690 (I) (L.3.44)B-691 (I) (L.3.45) B-692 (I) (L.3.46) B-693 (I) (L.3.47) B-694 (I)(L.3.48) B-695 (I) (L.3.49) B-696 (I) (L.3.50) B-697 (I) (L.3.51) B-698(I) (L.3.52) B-699 (I) (L.3.53) B-700 (I) (L.3.54) B-701 (I) (L.3.55)B-702 (I) (L.4.1) B-703 (I) (L.4.2) B-704 (I) (L.4.3) B-705 (I) (L.4.4)B-706 (I) (L.4.5) B-707 (I) (L.4.6) B-708 (I) (L.4.7) B-709 (I) (L.4.8)B-710 (I) (L.4.9) B-711 (I) (L.4.10) B-712 (I) (L.4.11) B-713 (I)(L.4.12) B-714 (I) (L.4.13) B-715 (I) (L.4.14) B-716 (I) (L.4.15) B-717(I) (L.4.16) B-718 (I) (L.4.17) B-719 (I) (L.4.18) B-720 (I) (L.4.19)B-721 (I) (L.4.20) B-722 (I) (L.4.21) B-723 (I) (L.4.22) B-724 (I)(L.4.23) B-725 (I) (L.4.24) B-726 (I) (L.4.25) B-727 (I) (L.4.26) B-728(I) (L.4.27) B-729 (I) (L.4.28) B-730 (I) (L.4.29) B-731 (I) (L.4.30)B-732 (I) (L.4.31) B-733 (I) (L.4.32) B-734 (I) (L.4.33) B-735 (I)(L.5.1) B-736 (I) (L.5.2) B-737 (I) (L.5.3) B-738 (I) (L.5.4) B-739 (I)(L.5.5) B-740 (I) (L.5.6) B-741 (I) (L.5.7) B-742 (I) (L.5.8) B-743 (I)(L.5.9) B-744 (I) (L.5.10) B-745 (I) (L.5.11) B-746 (I) (L.5.12) B-747(I) (L.5.13) B-748 (I) (L.5.14) B-749 (I) (L.5.15) B-750 (I) (L.5.16)B-751 (I) (L.5.17) B-752 (I) (L.5.18) B-753 (I) (L.5.19) B-754 (I)(L.5.20) B-755 (I) (L.5.21) B-756 (I) (L.5.22) B-757 (I) (L.5.23) B-758(I) (L.5.24) B-759 (I) (L.5.25) B-760 (I) (L.5.26) B-761 (I) (L.5.27)B-762 (I) (L.5.28) B-763 (I) (L.5.29) B-764 (I) (L.5.30) B-765 (I)(L.5.31) B-766 (I) (L.5.32) B-767 (I) (L.5.33) B-768 (I) (L.5.34) B-769(I) (L.5.35) B-770 (I) (L.5.36) B-771 (I) (L.5.37) B-772 (I) (L.5.38)B-773 (I) (L.5.39) B-774 (I) (L.5.40) B-775 (I) (L.5.41) B-776 (I)(L.5.42) B-777 (I) (L.5.43) B-778 (I) (L.5.44) B-779 (I) (L.5.45) B-780(I) (L.5.46) B-781 (I) (L.5.47) B-782 (I) (L.5.48) B-783 (I) (L.5.49)B-784 (I) (L.5.50) B-785 (I) (L.5.51) B-786 (I) (L.5.52) B-787 (I)(L.5.53) B-788 (I) (L.5.54) B-789 (I) (L.5.55) B-790 (I) (L.5.56) B-791(I) (L.5.57) B-792 (I) (L.5.58) B-793 (I) (L.5.59) B-794 (I) (L.5.60)B-795 (I) (L.6.1) B-796 (I) (L.6.2) B-797 (I) (L.6.3) B-798 (I) (L.6.4)B-799 (I) (L.6.5) B-800 (I) (L.6.6) B-801 (I) (L.6.7) B-802 (I) (L.6.8)B-803 (I) (L.6.9) B-804 (I) (L.6.10) B-805 (I) (L.6.11) B-806 (I)(L.6.12) B-807 (I) (L.6.13) B-808 (I) (L.6.14) B-809 (I) (L.6.15) B-810(I) (L.6.16)

The active substances referred to as component 2, their preparation andtheir activity e.g. against harmful fungi is known (cf.:http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/); these substances are commerciallyavailable. The compounds described by IUPAC nomenclature, theirpreparation and their fungicidal activity are also known (cf. Can. J.Plant Sci. 48(6), 587-94, 1968; EP-A 141 317; EP-A 152 031; EP-A 226917; EP-A 243 970; EP-A 256 503; EP-A 428 941; EP-A 532 022; EP-A 1 028125; EP-A 1 035 122; EP-A 1 201 648; EP-A 1 122 244, JP 2002316902; DE19650197; DE 10021412; DE 102005009458; U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,272; U.S.Pat. No. 3,325,503; WO 98/46608; WO 99/14187; WO 99/24413; WO 99/27783;WO 00/29404; WO 00/46148; WO 00/65913; WO 01/54501; WO 01/56358; WO02/22583; WO 02/40431; WO 03/10149; WO 03/11853; WO 03/14103; WO03/16286; WO 03/53145; WO 03/61388; WO 03/66609; WO 03/74491; WO04/49804; WO 04/83193; WO 05/120234; WO 05/123689; WO 05/123690; WO05/63721; WO 05/87772; WO 05/87773; WO 06/15866; WO 06/87325; WO06/87343; WO 07/82098; WO 07/90624, WO 11/028657, WO2012/168188, WO2007/006670, WO 2011/77514; WO13/047749, WO 10/069882, WO 13/047441, WO03/16303, WO 09/90181, WO 13/007767, WO 13/010862, PCT/EP2012/065650 andPCT/EP2012/065651).

The mixtures of active substances can be prepared as compositionscomprising besides the active ingredients at least one inert ingredient(auxiliary) by usual means, e. g. by the means given for thecompositions of the strains, cell-free extracts, culture media orextrolites of the invention.

One embodiment of the invention is a kit for preparing a usablepesticidal composition, the kit compring a) a composition comprisingcomponent 1) as defined herein and at least one auxiliary; and b) acomposition comprising component 2) as defined herein and at least oneauxiliary; and optionally c) a composition comprising at least oneauxiliary and optionally a further active component 3) as definedherein.

Concerning usual ingredients of such compositions reference is made tothe explanations given for the compositions containing the strains,cell-free extracts, culture media or extrolites of the invention.

The mixtures to the invention are suitable as fungicides, as are thestrains, cell-free extracts, culture media or extrolites of theinvention. They are distinguished by an outstanding effectivenessagainst a broad spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi, especially from theclasses of the Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Deuteromycetes andPeronosporomycetes (syn. Oomycetes). In addition, it is refered to theexplanations regarding the fungicidal activity of the strains, cell-freeextracts, culture media or extrolites of the invention.

The present invention will be described in greater detail by means ofthe following examples. The following examples are for illustrativepurposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

EXPERIMENTAL PART

Optical rotation was measured on a Perkin Elmer polarimeter model 241 at545 and 578 nm and was extrapolated to 589 nm using Drude's equation[Lippke, G.; Thaler, H. Starch 1970, 22, 344-351]. ¹H, ¹³C and 2D NMRspectra were recorded on a Bruker AVANCE III 600 MHz spectrometerequipped with a 5 mm TCI cryogenic inverse probe head (z-gradient) usingstandard pulse sequences. APCI-MS spectra were measured from a solutionof the analyte in MeCN/H₂O with a Hewlett Packard MSD 1100 using anevaporator temperature of 400° C., a drying gas temperature of 350° C.at a flow of 6 L/h (N₂). In positive ionization mode, the capillaryvoltage amounted to 3.5 kV, the corona discharge current was 4 ρA. Innegative ionization mode, the capillary voltage amounted to 2.2 kV, thecorona discharge current was 6 ρA. HR-ESI-MS data were recorded on aQ-ToF ULTIMA-111 (Waters) equipped with a LockSpray-interface. A BrukerIFS48 FTIR spectrometer and a Perkin-Elmer Lambda-16 spectrophotometerwere used to measure the IR and UV spectra, respectively.

Example 1: Isolation and Deposit of Fungal Strain IBWF104-06

The fungus IBWF104-06 was isolated from a soil sample. Strain IBWF104-06has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty with the culture collectionof Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and CellCultures, Braunschweig, Germany, and has been assigned deposit numberDSM 27859.

For maintenance, the fungus was grown on agar slants on YMG agar (yeastextract 4.0 g/L, malt extract 10 g/L, glucose 10 g/L, the pH value wasadjusted to 5.5 before autoclaving). Solid media contained 2.0% of agar.

Example 2: Morphological Analysis

The strain was determined to be a Penicillium species based on thefollowing morphological observations:

-   -   Colony diameter, 7 days, in mm: CYA approx. 25; CYA30° C.        approx. 24; CYA37° C. no growth; MEA approx. 25; YES approx. 33.    -   Good sporulation on CYA with grey green conidia, reverse in        shades of crème.    -   Good sporulation on YES, grey green conidia, reverse slightly        yellow, all media: soluble pigment absent. Colonies on MEA grey        green conidia. No reaction with Ehrlich test. Conidiophores        symmetrically biverticillate, metulae 13-17×2.3-2.9 μm;        phialides ampulliform, 8-10×2-3 μm; conidia smooth, broadly        ellipsoidal, 2.0-2.5×2.3-3 μm.    -   Distribution and ecology: This species has been isolated from a        soil sample (Mehlinger Heide, Mehlingen, Germany).

Example 3: Phylogentic Analysis

The ITS sequence of the fungus IBWF104-06 (SEQ ID NO:1) is shown in FIG.1, with the underlined parts of the sequence corresponding to theprimers used

(ITS-1F:  CTTGGTCATTTAGAGGAAGTAA; ITS-4:  TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC;ITS-4 reverse complement  GCATATCAATAAGCGGAGGA)[Gardes, M., and T. D. Bruns. 1993. ITS primers with enhancedspecificity for basidiomycetes—application to the identification ofmycorrhizae and rusts. Mol. Ecol. 2: 113-118; White, T. J., T. Bruns, S.Lee, and J. W. Taylor. 1990. Amplification and direct sequencing offungal ribosomal RNA genes for phylogenetics. Pp. 315-322 In: PCRProtocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications, eds. Innis, M. A., D. H.Gelfand, J. J. Sninsky, and T. J. White. Academic Press, Inc., NewYork].

The ITS-Sequence for IBWF104-06 consists of partial 18S rRNA(conserved), ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS2, partial 28S rRNA (conserved), withthe two spacers (ITS1, ITS2), including the 5.8S gene, usually beingreferred to as the ITS region; for taxonomy this sequence is describedas universal fungal barcode sequence [Schoch, et al., Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(16),6241-6. doi:10.1073/pnas.1117018109].

The ITS GenBank sequences for Penicillium steckii strain CBS 122389,Penicillium steckii strain CBS 122388 and Penicillium steckii strain CBS122390 were found to be 100% identical with the ITS sequence ofIBWF104-06 (see the following alignments A-C). Further seven depositedsequences of Penicillium steckii strains were found to show identitiesbetween 99.8 and 99.4% with the ITS sequence of IBWF104-06 (see thefollowing alignments D-J).

Pairwise Alignment A Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769718|gb|GU944592.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS122389 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2,complete sequence; and 28S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1090

Identity: 1,0000000 Pairwise Alignment B Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769717|gb|GU944591.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS122388 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2,complete sequence; and 28S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1090

Identity: 1,0000000 Pairwise Alignment C Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769716|gb|GU944590.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS122390 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1090

Identity: 1,0000000 Pairwise Alignment D Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|74135519|gb|DQ123665.1| Penicillium steckilstrain NRRL35367 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1087

Identity: 0,9981685 Pairwise Alignment E Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769723|gb|GU944597.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS260.55 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global alignmentAlignment score: 1087

Identity: 0,9981651 Pairwise Alignment F Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|74135520|gb|DQ123666.1| Penicillium steckii strain NRRL354633 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequence >gi|156891115|gb|EF634431.1| Penicilliumsteckii isolateNRRL 35463 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internaltranscribed spacer 1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and internal transcribedspacer 2, complete sequence;and 28S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1084

Identity: 0,9963303 Pairwise Alignment G Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769721|gb|GU944595.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS789.70 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1084

Identity: 0,9963303 Pairwise Alignment H Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769720|gb|GU944594.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS325.59 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global alignmentAlignment score: 1084

Identity: 0,9963303 Pairwise Alignment I Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|310769719|gb|GU944593.1| Penicillium steckii strain CBS122391 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; internal transcribedspacer 1, 5.8S ribosomalRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28SribosomalRNA gene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1084

Identity: 0,9963303 Pairwise Alignment J Sequence 1: 104-06 ITS

Sequence 2: gi|141452972|gb|EF200085.1| Penicillium steckii isolate NRRL35625 internal transcribed spacer 1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, andinternal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence; and 28S ribosomal RNAgene, partial sequenceOptimal Global aligmentAlignment score: 1081

Identity: 0,9945055

Thus, based on ITS sequence comparison, the fungus IBWF104-06 is aPenicillium steckii strain.

Example 4: Cultivation of Penicillium steckii Strain IBWF104-06

Penicillium steckii strain IBWF 104-06 was cultivated on 2% malt solidmedia for 3-4 days at RT. Spores were washed up using 2% malt liquidmedia and filtrated through GAZE. Spores were counted usinghaemocytometer and adjusted to about 1×10⁸ cfu/ml.

Example 5: Antifungal Activity of Penicillium steckii Strain IBWF104-06

To test antifungal activity against Phytophthora infestans, Botrytiscinerea and Alternaria solani, commercially available young tomatoseedlings (“Goldene Königin”) were used for the described greenhousetrial. 2 replications (pots with 1 plant each) were used per treatment.Plants were grown in commercially available substrate (Universal,Floragard) at about 22° C. in the greenhouse. The humidity wascontrolled using a special device (˜90% humidity). The plants weresprayed to runoff with crude culture broth of 3-6 days old cultures ofPenicillium steckii strain IBWF104-06 using a spray cabinet. Cultureconditions were as described in Example 4. One day after application thetreated plants were inoculated with a suspension of i) sporangia ofPhytophthora infestans, ii) spores of Botrytis cinerea or iii) spores ofAlternaria solani. After inoculation, the trial plants were immediatelytransferred to a humid chamber. The extent of fungal attack on theleaves was visually assessed 5-7 days after inoculation.

For testing the antifungal activity against Fusarium graminearum, 8 weekold plants of super dwarf wheat, commercially available young tomatoseedlings (“Goldene Königin”) and commercially available young pepperseedlings (“Neusiedler Ideal”) were used for the described greenhousetrial. 2 replications were used per treatment. Plants were grown incommercially available substrate (Universal, Floragard) at about 21-22°C. in the greenhouse. The humidity was controlled using a special device(˜60%-90% humidity depending on the pathogen). The plants were sprayedwith conidia suspensions of 7 day old cultures of Penicillium steckilstrain IBWF104-06 using a spray cabinet. One day after application thetreated plants were inoculated with a conidia suspension of i) sporangiaof Phytophthora infestans, ii) spores of Botrytis cinerea or iii) sporesof Alternaria solani iiii) spores of Fusarium graminearum. Afterinoculation, the trial plants were immediately transferred to a humidchamber. The extent of fungal attack on the leaves was visually assessed5-7 days after inoculation.

TABLE 1 Fungicidal activity - Percent infestation % attack (UTC set to100%) BOTRCI ALTESO PHYTIN FUSAGR CFU/ml Penicillium 1 9 13  1.0E+08steckii strain IBWF 104-06 Penicillium 0 8.16E+07 steckii strain IBWF104-06 % attack BOTRCI ALTESO PHYTIN FUSAGR UTC 100 42.5 95 76.3Penicillium steckii 1 4 12.5 0 strain IBWF 104- 06 PHYTIN Phytophthorainfestans BOTRCI Botrytis cinerea ALTESO Alternaria solani FUSAGRFusarium graminearum

Example 6: Growth (Fermentability) of Strains and Isolation of TanzawaicAcids

Penicillium steckii strain IBWF 104-06 was grown in YMG medium in a 20L-fermenter (Braun, Melsungen) at 22-24° C. with agitation (120 rpm) andaeration (3 L/min). For inoculation a well-grown shake culture (YMGmedium, 250 mL) was used. During fermentation, the bioactive principleswere quantified by HPLC and 13 days after inoculation the production waspronounced and the fermentation was stopped. The culture fluid (14.5 L)was separated from the mycelium by filtration and extracted with ethylacetate (10 L). The solvent was evaporated and the oily crude extract(2.2 g) was applied onto a column filled with silica gel (Merck 60,0.063-0.2 mm). Elution with a mixture of cyclohexane/ethyl acetate (3:2v/v) yielded the oily fraction 1 (700 mg), 2:3 cyclohexane/ethyl acetateeluted oily fraction 2 (560 mg), and 1:4 cyclohexane/ethyl acetateeluted oily fraction 3 (100 mg). Further workup of fraction 1 by solidphase extraction with 1:1 acetonitrile/water generated intermediate A(600 mg), and with 1:4 acetonitrile/water intermediate B (50 mg).Preparative HPLC with intermediate A (Waters SunFire, Prep C18 OBD, 5μm, 19×250 mm, 17 mL/min, isocratic conditions, 1:1 acetonitrile/0.1%formic acid) resulted in arohynapene A (173 mg, RT 9 min) and tanzawaicacid E (143 mg, RT 13 min). Intermediate B yielded tanzawaic acid A (7,20 mg, RT 24 min) by preparative HPLC (Waters SunFire, Prep C18 OBD, 5μm, 19×250 mm, 17 mL/min, isocratic conditions, 13:7 acetonitrile/0.1%formic acid). Work-up of fraction 2 by preparative HPLC (Waters SunFire,Prep C18 OBD, 5 μm, 19×250 mm, 17 mL/min, isocratic conditions, 11:9acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid) generated the compound of formula (3)(termed tanzawaic acid K; 54 mg, RT 16.5 min) and intermediate C (RT7-13 min, 320 mg). Intermediate C yielded the compound of formula (4)(termed tanzawaic acid L, 29 mg, RT 25.5 min) and arohynapene B (14 mg,RT 31 min) by a second preparative HPLC (Agilent PrepHT, Zorbax, XDB-C8,21.2×150 mm, 5 μm, 21 mL/min, isocratic conditions, 7:13acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid). Fraction 3 was applied onto a solidphase extraction column (Macherey-Nagel, Chromabond C18ec) andextraction with 2:3 acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid gave intermediate D(87 mg) which was used for preparative HPLC (Waters SunFire, Prep C18OBD, 5 μm, 19×250 mm, 16 mL/min, isocratic conditions, 2:3acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid) to yield the compound of formula (1)(termed tanzawaic acid I; 7.7 mg, RT 9 min) and the compound of formula(2) (termed tanzawaic acid J; 12.6 mg, RT 10.5 min).

Tanzawaic acid I: formula (1); Yellow oil; UV (MeOH) (Δ_(max) log ε):261 (4.45); [α]_(D) ²⁰−262 (0.4, MeOH); IR (v cm⁻¹) 3414, 2950, 2923,1689, 1640, 1457, 1380, 1248; HRESI-MS: m/z 329.1744 (calc. for 329.1729[C₁₈H₂₆O₄+Na]⁺); APCI-MS (neg) m/z 305.1 [M-H]⁻, APCI-MS (pos) 289.2[M-H₂O+H]⁺, 271.2 [M-2H₂O+H]⁺.

Tanzawaic acid J: formula (2); Yellow oil; UV (MeOH) (λ_(max), log ε):261 (4.45); [α]_(D) ²⁰+73.7 (0.4, MeOH); IR (v cm⁻¹) 3369, 2947, 2835,1638, 1451, 1032; HR-ESI-MS: m/z 329.1744 (calc. for 329.1729[C₁₈H₂₆O₄+Na]⁺); APCI-MS negative mode m/z 305.1 [M-H]⁻, APCI-MSpositive mode 289.2 [M-H₂O+H]⁺, 271.2 [M-2H₂O+H]⁺.

Tanzawaic acid K: formula (3); Yellow oil; UV (MeOH) (λ_(max) log ε):257 (4.59); [α]_(D) ²⁰−20.1 (O.38, MeOH); IR (v cm⁻¹) 3432, 2909, 1688,1638, 1456, 1275; HR-ESI-MS: m/z 313.1788 (calc. for 313.1780[C₁₈H₂₆O₃+Na]⁺); APCI-MS (neg) m/z 289.1 [M-H]⁻, APCI-MS (pos) 273.2[M-H₂O+H]⁺.

Tanzawaic acid L: formula (4); Yellow oil; UV (MeOH) (λ_(max) log ε):255 (3.70), 286 (3.68); [α]_(D) ²⁰−126.7 (O.32, MeOH); IR (v cm⁻¹) 3409,2961, 2965, 1698, 1638, 1377, 1247; HR-ESI-MS: m/z 311.1630 (calc. for311.1623 [C₁₈H₂₄O₃+Na]⁺); APCI-MS (neg) m/z287.1 [M-H]⁻, APCI-MS (pos)271.1 [M-H₂O+H]⁺, 253.1 [M-2H₂O+H]⁺.

TABLE 2 ¹-H-NMR data of the compounds of formula (1)-(4) (CD₃OD, 600MHz) Position Compound (1) Compound (2) Compound (3) Compound (4) 1 — —— — 2 5.86 (1H, d, 5.83 (1H, d, 5.80 (1H, d, 5.87 (1H, d, 15.3) 15.3)15.3) 15.1) 3 7.28 (1H, dd, 7.28 (1H, dd, 7.32 (1H, dd, 7.37 (1H, dd,11.2, 15.3) 11.2, 15.3) 10.9, 15.3) 11.1, 15.1) 4 6.45 (1H, dd, 6.45(1H, dd, 6.20 (1H, dd, 6.33 (1H, dd, 11.2, 15.2) 11.2, 15.5) 11.0, 15.0)11.1, 15.6) 5 6.10 (1H, d, 6.16 (1H, d. 6.31 (1H, dd, 6.74 (1H, d, 15.2)15.5) 10.6, 15.0) 15.6) 6 — — 2.40 (1H, t, — 10.6)- 7 1.39 (1H, m) 1.52(1H, d, 1.09 (1H, m) 1.56 (1H, m) 11.0) 8 1.39 (1H, m) 1.75 (1H, m) 1.39(1H, m) 2.03 (1H, m) 9 0.72 (1H_(β), q, 0.78 (1H_(β), q, 0.77 (1H_(β),m) 1.06 (1H_(β), dd, 11.8) 12.3) 1.65 (1H_(α), 11.9, 13.9) 1.54 (1H_(α),m) 1.57 (1H_(α), m) pseudo-dd, 3.1, 1.73 (1H_(α), m) 13.3) 10 1.45 (1H,d, 6.6) 1.50 (1H, m) 1.54 (1H, m) — 11 1.17 (1H_(β), q, 1.17 (1H_(β), q,0.72 (1H_(β), m) 1.33 (1H_(β), t, 12.3) 12.4) 1.71 (1H_(α), 13.3) 1.54(1H_(α), m) 1.56 (1H_(α), m) pseudo-dd, 3.0, 1.69 (1H_(α), m) 13.0) 121.59 (1H, m) 1.61 (1H, m) 1.94 (1H, 2.36 (1H, m) pseudo-t, 11.0) 13 3.80(1H, t, 4.4) 3.75 (1H, dd., 5.41 (1H, d, 5.74 (1H, dd, 2.7, 5.8) 10.0)2.2, 9.2) 14 5.69 (1H; d, 5.2) 5.79 (1H, d, 6.1) 5.48 (1H, dd, 5.97 (1H,dd, 2.4, 10.0) 2.8, 9.2) 15 — — — — 16 1.62 (3H, s) 1.63 (3H, s) 1.18(3H, s) 1.89 (3H, s) 17 0.90 (3H, d, 6.4) 0.91 (3H, d, 6.4) 0.89 (3H, d,6.5) 1.20 (3H, s) 18 1.09 (3H, d, 5.3) 0.91 (3H, d, 6.4) 0.98 (3H, d,6.3) 0.98 (3H, d. 6.2)

TABLE 3 ¹³C-NMR data of compounds of formula (1)-(4) (CD₃OD, 150 MHz)Compound Position (1) Compound (2) Compound (3) Compound (4) 1 170.9170.9 170.9 170.9 2 122.0 121.3 120.6 120.8 3 145.9 146.2 146.7 147.1 4128.5 127.8 130.5 131.0 5 144.8 153.7 147.5 142.3 6 79.0 76.1 58.8 133.47 49.8 49.1 51.1 49.9 8 35.3 34.3 37.2 29.1 9 47.1 47.1 48.1 49.3 1032.9 33.0 33.7 70.1 11 39.1 39.0 42.8 44.0 12 41.4 39.9 44.7 35.9 1367.6 68.0 132.9 137.3 14 127.0 128.0 135.2 131.0 15 142.9 140.9 74.5133.8 16 18.1 19.1 24.6 19.8 17 23.1 23.1 22.8 31.3 18 23.0 24.2 23.823.4

Example 7: Determination of In Vitro Activity of the Isolated Compounds

Antimicrobial activities of the isolated compounds against bacteria andfungi were determined in the agar plate diffusion assay as describedpreviously [Anke, H.; Bergendorff, 0.; Sterner, 0. Food Chem. Toxicol.1989, 27, 393-397]. Cytotoxicity was assayed as described previously[Zapf, S.; Hossfeld, M.; Anke, H.; Velten, R.; Steglich, W. J. Antibiot.1995, 48, 36-41]. The cell line HelaS3 was grown in DMEM medium(Invitrogen). The medium was supplemented with 10% heat-inactivatedfetal calf serum

(Invitrogen), 65 mg/mL of penicillin G and 100 mg/mL of streptomycinsulfate. The viability was evaluated by eye after 72 h. The sporegemination was tested with Magnaporthe oryzae as described previously[Kettering, M.; Valdivia, C.; Sterner, O.; Anke, H.; Thines, E. J.Antibiot. 2005, 58, 390-396]. This method was adapted for the sporegermination assay with Phytophthora infestans and Botrytis cinerea.

It was found that apart from tanzawaic acid I and J, all isolatedcompounds (including tanzawaic acid K and L) inhibited the conidialspore germination of Magnaporthe oryzae with concentrations of 50 μg/mLor less whereas the germination of the grey mold Botrytis cinerea andthe potato blight causing oomycete Phytophtora infestans was notinhibited up to 50 μg/mL. Arohynapenes A and B inhibited the sporegermination of Magnaporthe oryzae at 25 μg/mL (100%). In additiontanzawaic acid A showed slight activity in agar diffusion assays at 50μg/filter against Bacillus brevis, Mucor miehei, and Paealomycesvariotii, as well as cytotoxic effects against HeLaS3 cells at aconcentration of 50 μg/mL. However, none of the other compounds showedbioactivity in these assays up to 50 μg/mL.

Example 8: Production of Tanzawaic Acids on Different Media

Penicillium steckii strain IBWF 104-06 was grown in four media andevaluated for tanzawaic acids production.

It was cultivated as described in Example 6 using the following media:

-   -   YMG medium (4 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l malt extract, 10 g/l        glucose, pH 5.5),    -   YM medium (4 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l malt extract, 4 g/l        glucose, pH 5.5),    -   DM medium (40 g/l malt extract, pH 5.5) and    -   PDA medium (24 g/l Difco Potato Dextrose Broth).

In addition to room temperature cultivation was also carried out at 27°C. Tanzawaic acids were then extracted from each the media using theprotocol of Example 6.

It was found that Penicillium steckii strain IBWF 104-06 produced thetanzawaic acids in each of the tested media.

All documents cited herein are incorporated by reference.

1. A Penicillium strain selected from the group consisting of: a. strainIBWF104-06 as deposited with DSMZ under the deposit number DSM 27859;and b. strains having at least one identifying characteristic of saidstrain IBWF104-06.
 2. The Penicillium strain of claim 1, which iscapable of producing one or more of the following tanzawaic acids:

or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.
 3. The strain of claim 1,which is a Penicillium steckii strain.
 4. The strain of claim 3, whereinthe strain comprises an ITS sequence which is at least 95% identical toSEQ ID NO:1.
 5. The strain of claim 1, which has antifungal activity. 6.The strain of claim 5, which is active against a fungus selected fromthe group consisting of Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinerea andPhytophthora infestans.
 7. A method of preparing the tanzawaic acid orsalt of claim 1, which method comprises culturing a penicillium strainselected from the group consisting of: a. strain IBWF104-06 as depositedwith DSMZ under the deposit number DSM 27859; and b. strains having atleast one identifying characteristic of said strain IBWF104-06.  andrecovering said tanzawaic acid or salt from the culture broth.
 8. Acomposition comprising the strain of claim
 1. 9. The composition ofclaim 8 further comprising a pesticide.
 10. The composition of claim 9,wherein the pesticide is a biopesticide.
 11. A method of controlling,suppressing plant pathogens or preventing plant pathogen infection,wherein the pathogens, their habitat or the materials or plants to beprotected against pathogen attack, or the soil or propagation materialare treated with an effective amount of the strain of claim
 1. 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the pathogens are selected from harmfulfungi.
 13. A method of controlling, suppressing plant pathogens orpreventing plant pathogen infection, wherein the pathogens, theirhabitat or the materials or plants to be protected against pathogenattack, or the soil or propagation material are treated with aneffective amount of the composition of claim 8.